Astrolab has signed a deal with SpaceX to transport a lunar rover to the moon in a cargo mission planned for 2026.
Astrolab's Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover would be
part of the payload in the Starship lunar lander mission, which will be
SpaceX’s first commercial contract for moon cargo delivery.
- The
Starship mission is expected to bring 1,000 kilograms worth of payload
to the moon's south polar region in mid-2026 or later.
- Astrolab's
FLEX rover would be among the items. The vehicle is capable of carrying
two astronauts, supplies, and equipment across the lunar surface.
- At
full charge, the rover can drive for eight hours and withstand up to
300 hours of darkness and the extreme cold of the moon's south pole.
- Last year, Astrolab shared photos and a video of the FLEX vehicle being piloted by former astronaut Chris Hadfield around California's desert during field testing.
- SpaceX Starship could deliver astronauts to the moon for NASA's Artemis III mission, which is planned for 2025.
- The long-term Artemis program plans to send astronauts to the lunar surface and establish a human presence there.
