NASA announced on Tuesday contract awards for the initial elements of a lunar base, including two rovers and a drone program. Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the space agency is moving forward with its Moon Base initiative.
Two companies, Astrolab and Lunar Outpost, have been selected to build approximately one-ton rovers, with contracts totaling over $400 million. These rovers are expected to be delivered to the Moon in 2028. Each rover is designed to have a range of 200 km and be capable of autonomous operation and astronaut piloting. Blue Origin will handle the delivery of these rovers to the lunar surface under separate contracts worth $280.4 million.
Additionally, NASA is developing the MoonFall program, which involves three or four drones to be delivered by Firefly Aerospace. These drones will provide high-resolution imagery of the lunar surface, scout for water ice, and gather data on landing sites. The goal is to deploy these drones before the Artemis IV lunar landing mission, scheduled for no earlier than 2028.
Officials noted that significant knowledge gaps remain regarding the lunar surface conditions, despite past missions. The data from the rovers and drones is intended to help fill these gaps, informing future base construction and operations. The drones may also be used to establish a perimeter for the lunar base at the end of their operational life.
