WASHINGTON / RankWire.AI / – NASA has provided an update on the progress of both crewed and robotic rovers intended for lunar exploration, as part of its efforts to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon. The agency shared a Moon Base video update on Tuesday, October 20, which detailed plans for robotic science vehicles and crew transporters. Robert Pickle, who oversees the Surface Mobility Office within the Moon Base Program, emphasized that lunar rovers are crucial to NASA’s strategy for surface mobility.
Scheduled for 2027, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, known as VIPER, is designed to explore the Moon’s South Pole region. Its mission involves examining permanently shadowed craters to locate water and other vital resources that future lunar inhabitants could utilize. The rover will be delivered to the surface aboard a Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 1 lander. VIPER is anticipated to cover over 30 kilometers, collecting data on temperature, light conditions, and terrain characteristics.
Currently, VIPER is fully assembled at Johnson Space Center in Houston, where it is undergoing comprehensive final testing. Afterward, it will be transported to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch preparations. During its planned 100-day operational period, engineers at Ames Research Center in California will manage the rover. Blue Origin secured the delivery contract in September 2025 via a Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order valued at up to $190 million.
Astrolab and Lunar Outpost develop crew-capable lunar vehicles
NASA has issued task orders to both Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to create lunar terrain vehicles that can carry astronauts, transport equipment, and gather samples. Astrolab is working on its CLV-1, a model adapted from their FLEX platform, while Lunar Outpost is developing Pegasus, a lighter version of its Eagle rover that can seat two astronauts. Both companies aim to deliver operational vehicles to NASA by the end of 2027. Meanwhile, Blue Origin holds a task order to land these vehicles at the South Pole by 2028.
These vehicles will be deployed on the Moon ahead of crewed Artemis missions. Earth-based controllers will be able to operate them remotely, with a daily range of up to 6 kilometers for surface mapping. A single charge from the rover’s battery will support trips of up to 10 kilometers. Each rover is capable of supporting up to three moonwalks per Artemis mission and can carry as much as 80 kilograms of samples and tools. They are designed to endure the extreme cold, with temperatures dropping to minus 203 degrees Celsius in permanently shadowed regions.
Prototype testing and precursor missions continue to progress
Lunar Outpost has scheduled its initial design review for October, while Astrolab expects to complete its review by the end of December. As part of testing, Astrolab has delivered a CLV-1 mockup to Axiom Space for astronaut evaluation. Lunar Outpost has constructed two mockups and sent a third static version to Johnson Space Center. Additionally, Astrolab’s FLIP rover is slated to launch aboard Griffin Mission One in late 2026, with a second Lunar Outpost MAPP rover planned for early 2027.
These efforts follow NASA’s return to crewed lunar flights with the Artemis II mission in April. Blue Origin intends to launch its Blue Moon landers on the New Glenn rocket. NASA believes that these terrain vehicles will enable astronauts to access geologically diverse regions of the Moon. The data collected by VIPER will be instrumental in selecting optimal locations for future water ice extraction. Collectively, these robotic and crewed rovers are designed to facilitate a sustained human presence at the lunar South Pole.