Lunar Outpost Signs Contract with SpaceX for Starship Moon Mission

Lunar Outpost has announced on November 21 a partnership with SpaceX, signing a launch and landing services contract to deliver its Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) to the Moon aboard a SpaceX Starship. This collaboration is set to support NASA’s Artemis program, with the LTV playing a critical role in enabling surface mobility for astronauts and establishing vital infrastructure for sustainable lunar operations.

Lunar Outpost develops technologies aimed at supporting human and robotic activities in space. The company focuses on mobility systems for planetary surfaces, robotic solutions for extreme environments, and autonomous infrastructure capabilities. Additionally, it engages in research on space resources to explore new approaches to long-term operations in space.

A Leap forward for space mobility

Lunar Outpost’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle, named the Lunar Outpost Eagle, is designed to rethink surface mobility on the Moon. It boasts capabilities to support both manned and unmanned missions with advanced autonomous navigation and reconfigurable cargo options.

The vehicle is engineered to withstand harsh lunar night conditions, ensuring mission longevity from days to years, aiming to position itself as a cornerstone for sustainable lunar activities.

Developed under NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services (LTVS) contract, the Eagle represents a collaborative effort. It is being built by the Lunar Dawn team, which includes prominent industry partners such as Leidos, MDA Space, Goodyear, and General Motors.

“Surface mobility is a critical capability for humanity’s future in space, and Lunar Outpost looks forward to driving value in the cislunar economy by providing a reliable, safe and capable vehicle that will be used to provide mobility to Artemis astronauts and perform critical missions autonomously on the Moon for commercial endeavors,” said after the award Justin Cyrus, CEO at Lunar Outpost.

Technical milestones and advancements

Both Lunar Outpost and SpaceX have achieved key technical milestones in recent months. Lunar Outpost’s LTV human factors mockup recently underwent successful testing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, following a System Requirements Review in September.

Meanwhile, SpaceX continues to advance its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket systems. Notable achievements include multiple successful Starship launches and the landing of the Super Heavy booster back at Starbase, Texas, using the innovative Mechazilla launch tower with its chopsticks arms. Just two days ago, SpaceX conducted the sixth Starship test flight.

“Having experienced the recent groundbreaking Starship test flight firsthand, we’re confident that SpaceX is advancing the most capable launch system ever created and will successfully land our Eagle vehicles on the surface of the Moon,” said Cyrus. “This contract is instrumental to accelerating Lunar Outpost’s mission of enabling a sustainable human presence in space, and we look forward to working with SpaceX to make that happen.”

Enabling sustainable lunar operations

The Eagle LTV hopes to be a game-changer for both governmental and commercial missions. By enabling science and exploration, supporting infrastructure development, and facilitating space resource utilization, the vehicle aims to address the growing demand for versatile lunar surface mobility. Its features, according to the company, are tailored to optimize mission profiles, providing flexibility to accommodate diverse payloads and operational scenarios.

Lunar Outpost has ambitious plans for lunar exploration, with four Moon missions in the pipeline. The first mission was scheduled to launch later this year aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, but it’s unclear at this time if the schedule still holds. The company’s previously succeeded with another mission, the MOXIE system on NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover.