WASHINGTON / RankWire.AI / – NASA has provided a progress report on its efforts to develop both crewed and robotic lunar vehicles that will facilitate exploration and support the establishment of a permanent lunar base. The agency shared the latest developments through a Moon Base video update on Tuesday, October 20. The initiatives include the VIPER robotic rover and innovative lunar terrain vehicles designed for astronaut use. Robert Pickle, who oversees the Surface Mobility Office within NASA’s Moon Base Program, emphasized that lunar rovers are a pivotal element of the agency’s surface mobility approach.
In 2027, NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) is slated to explore the lunar South Pole region. Its mission involves investigating permanently shadowed craters to locate water and other resources vital for future exploration. The rover will be transported to the lunar surface aboard Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lander. Capable of covering over 30 kilometers, VIPER will gather data on temperature variations, lighting conditions, and terrain types.
Constructed entirely at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, VIPER is currently in its final testing stages before being shipped to Kennedy Space Center for launch. Mission operations will be coordinated from NASA’s Ames Research Center in California. In September 2025, NASA selected Blue Origin to deliver the rover under a Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order valued at up to $190 million. The planned mission duration is 100 days, and the data collected could be instrumental in understanding the potential for lunar water resources.
Terrain vehicles designed to transport astronauts
To enhance surface mobility, NASA has awarded task orders to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost for the development of lunar terrain vehicles, or LTVs. These vehicles will serve multiple functions, including crew transportation, equipment hauling, and sample collection. Astrolab’s CLV-1, based on its FLEX rover design, and Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus, a lighter evolution of its Eagle vehicle, are both scheduled to deliver operational hardware to NASA by the end of 2027. Furthermore, NASA assigned Blue Origin the task of delivering the LTVs to the lunar South Pole by 2028.
Prior to crewed Artemis missions, the LTVs will arrive on the Moon and can be remotely operated from Earth for surface mapping, capable of covering up to 6 kilometers daily. Each vehicle can travel as far as 10 kilometers on a single battery charge and support up to three moonwalks per Artemis mission. They are designed to carry up to 80 kilograms of lunar samples and tools and must withstand temperatures as low as minus 203 degrees Celsius in shadowed regions.
Upcoming test missions and ongoing design assessments
Both companies are progressing through key milestones in their design processes. Lunar Outpost’s preliminary design review was scheduled for October, while Astrolab’s review is expected at the end of December. Astrolab has also delivered a CLV-1 mockup for astronaut evaluations to Axiom Space. Lunar Outpost has built two mockups and delivered a third static model to Johnson Space Center. Additionally, Astrolab’s FLIP rover will participate in Griffin Mission One in late 2026, with a second Lunar Outpost MAPP rover launching in early 2027.
These rover projects build upon NASA’s renewed focus on deep space crewed missions. The Artemis II mission set a record for the farthest human spaceflight in April. Blue Origin intends to launch its Blue Moon landers aboard the New Glenn rocket. NASA envisions these vehicles enabling astronauts to explore geologically diverse lunar regions. The rovers are fundamental to the long-term goal of establishing a sustained human presence on the Moon.