NASA awards $590 million to three firms for four lunar lander missions

NASA announced that three companies will conduct four robotic lunar lander missions slated for late 2028, with contracts totaling $590.4 million. Astrobotic Technology received $297.9 million for two flights of its Peregrine lander, Firefly Aerospace was awarded $144.2 million for its Blue Ghost lander, and Intuitive Machines secured $148.3 million for its Nova-C lander.

Each lander will carry an identical payload suite: the Stereo Camera for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS) to image engine exhaust plumes, the Linear Energy Transfer Spectrometer (LETS) to monitor radiation, and a Laser Retroreflector Array for lunar ranging. The instruments have flown on earlier missions.

"By flying the same science instruments on multiple landers, we will better understand potential hazards during landing and build out a global network of environmental data and location markers on the moon," said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.

NASA did not reveal the landing sites, though Astrobotic indicated its two landers will target the Gruithuisen Domes region on the near side. The agency also noted that additional payloads could be added.

Intuitive Machines said its award includes a $68.6 million base payment and a $79.7 million performance incentive tied to rapid-turnaround lander production. The company’s chief executive, Steve Altemus, said the contract supports a shift toward commercial mass production of lunar infrastructure.

In a separate update, NASA is evaluating the possibility of sending a rover originally built for Mars—referred to as the Polar Rover for Observation, Mapping, and In-Situ Exploration (PROMISE)—to the Moon. The engineering model, based on the Curiosity and Perseverance designs, would use a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, allowing operation through the lunar night and in permanently shadowed regions.

"We are thinking very hard right now about sending PROMISE to the moon," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, adding that the vehicle’s existing hardware could be repurposed without major modifications.

NASA officials noted that the limited supply of RTG units could affect other missions that also depend on this power source. The agency continues to plan the launch of the Blue Moon Mark 1 lander, originally assigned to Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, and indicated that the current launch plan remains viable while the company repairs its launch complex.