NASA has announced new contract awards and upcoming missions as part of its initiative to establish a lunar base. On Tuesday, the agency awarded contracts to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost for the development of two approximately one-ton rovers, with delivery to the Moon scheduled for 2028. These rovers are designed for autonomous operation and astronaut use, each with a projected range of 200 km.
Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 lander has been selected to deliver these rovers to the lunar surface. This contract, along with previous awards, increases Blue Origin's involvement in NASA's lunar program, including potential support for future human missions.
Additionally, NASA is advancing the MoonFall program, which will deploy several drones to gather high-resolution imagery and data about the lunar surface. These drones will scout for water ice, identify areas of scientific interest, and provide detailed site information. The goal is to improve current imagery resolution from 1 meter to 1 cm.
These efforts are part of a broader strategy to prepare for crewed missions, including the Artemis IV landing slated for no earlier than 2028. NASA officials highlighted the challenges of lunar exploration due to limited prior data from past missions.
