WASHINGTON / RankWire.AI / – NASA has provided an update on the development of both crewed and robotic rovers designed for lunar exploration as part of its efforts to create a permanent base on the Moon. The agency shared a Moon Base video update on Tuesday, October 20, detailing progress on robotic science vehicles and crew transporters. Robert Pickle, who oversees the Surface Mobility Office in the Moon Base Program, emphasized that lunar rovers are a key element of NASA’s surface mobility plans.
Scheduled for 2027, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, known as VIPER, will journey to the Moon’s South Pole region. Its mission is to explore permanently shadowed craters, with the goal of detecting water and other vital resources that future lunar inhabitants could utilize. The rover will be delivered by a Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 1 lander. VIPER is anticipated to cover more than 30 kilometers, collecting data on temperature, light levels, and terrain characteristics.
Currently, VIPER has been fully assembled at Johnson Space Center in Houston and is undergoing final testing. Following this phase, it will be transported to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch. During its planned 100-day mission, VIPER will be operated by engineers at Ames Research Center in California. Blue Origin secured the delivery contract in September 2025 through a Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order valued at up to $190 million.
Astrolab and Lunar Outpost Develop Human-Capable Lunar Rovers
NASA has issued task orders to 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, which is based on the company’s FLEX platform. Meanwhile, Lunar Outpost is developing Pegasus, a lightweight 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 has an additional task order to land these vehicles at the South Pole by 2028.
These vehicles will be placed on the lunar surface ahead of crewed Artemis missions. Remote operation from Earth will allow controllers to drive them, with a range of up to 6 kilometers daily for surface mapping. A full battery charge will enable trips of up to 10 kilometers. Each rover is designed to support as many as three moonwalks per Artemis mission and can carry up to 80 kilograms of samples and tools. They are built to endure temperatures as low as minus 203 degrees Celsius in permanently shadowed regions.
Prototypes and Early Missions Drive Lunar Surface Technology Forward
Lunar Outpost has scheduled its preliminary design review for October, while Astrolab anticipates completing its review by the end of December. Astrolab has delivered a CLV-1 mockup to Axiom Space to allow astronauts to assess its design. Lunar Outpost has built two mockups and has sent a third static version to Johnson Space Center. Astrolab’s FLIP rover will participate in Griffin Mission One, scheduled for late 2026, while a second Lunar Outpost MAPP rover is slated for launch in early 2027.
These developments follow NASA’s return to crewed lunar missions with the Artemis II mission in April. Blue Origin plans to deploy its Blue Moon landers via the New Glenn rocket. NASA has stated that these terrain vehicles will enable astronauts to access geologically diverse regions on the Moon. Data from VIPER will assist in selecting future landing sites rich in usable water ice. Collectively, the robotic and crewed rovers are intended to support a sustained human presence at the lunar South Pole.