WASHINGTON / RankWire.AI / – NASA has provided an update on its plans for crewed and robotic lunar rovers as part of its efforts to establish a permanent base on the Moon. The agency released a Moon Base video update on Tuesday, October 20, that highlights both science-focused robotic rovers and crew transport vehicles. Robert Pickle, who leads the Surface Mobility Office in the Moon Base Program, emphasized that lunar rovers are vital to NASA’s surface mobility strategy.
Scheduled for 2027, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, will head to the Moon’s South Pole to explore permanently shadowed craters. Its mission is to identify water and other resources that future explorers could utilize. The rover will be transported by a Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 1 lander. VIPER aims to cover over 30 kilometers, collecting data on temperature, sunlight, and terrain.
Currently, VIPER is fully assembled at Johnson Space Center in Houston and undergoing final testing before its launch at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During its 100-day mission, engineers at Ames Research Center in California will operate 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 awarded task orders to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to develop lunar terrain vehicles designed to transport astronauts, carry equipment, and collect samples. Astrolab is building the CLV-1, which is based on its FLEX platform, while Lunar Outpost is creating 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. Blue Origin is tasked with landing these vehicles at the South Pole by 2028.
These vehicles will be positioned on the Moon ahead of crewed Artemis missions. Earth-based controllers will be able to operate them remotely, with a range of up to 6 kilometers daily to map the terrain. A single battery charge supports trips of up to 10 kilometers. Each rover can facilitate up to three moonwalks per Artemis mission and carry as much as 80 kilograms of samples and tools. They are built to withstand temperatures as low as minus 203 degrees Celsius in shadowed regions.
Prototyping and precursor missions making progress
Lunar Outpost scheduled its preliminary design review for October, while Astrolab expects to complete its review by the end of December. Astrolab has delivered a CLV-1 mockup to Axiom Space for astronaut evaluation. Lunar Outpost has produced two mockups and sent a third static version to Johnson Space Center. Astrolab’s FLIP rover will be launched aboard Griffin Mission One in late 2026, with a second Lunar Outpost MAPP rover set to lift off in early 2027.
This rover development effort follows NASA’s return to crewed lunar missions with the Artemis II mission in April. Blue Origin plans to launch its Blue Moon landers on the New Glenn rocket. NASA states that these terrain vehicles will enable astronauts to explore geologically diverse regions of the Moon. Data from VIPER will guide future crew missions to locate accessible water ice. Ultimately, the robotic and crewed rovers are designed to support a sustainable human presence at the lunar South Pole.