Astrolab's FLIP rover to carry NASA science, supporting Artemis moon base
Astrolab’s FLIP rover, launching on SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center later this year, will carry four NASA experiments to the moon aboard Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 lander to support Artemis base plans. The rover, selected under NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract, will study lunar dust, map terrain, and assess helium-3 resources for future missions, traveling up to 500 meters daily on the lunar south pole.
Astrolab’s FLIP rover will transport four NASA experiments to the moon later this year as part of the Artemis program. The mission, launched via SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center, will use Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 lander to deliver the rover to the lunar surface. One key experiment, the Lunar Dust level sensor and Effects on Surfaces (LDES), will measure how quickly lunar dust accumulates on spacecraft surfaces—a critical issue for long-term moon bases. The rover’s payloads include the Titanium with Active Lighting (METAL) experiment, which will estimate helium-3 levels in lunar soil, and the Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA), a tracking device that will remain on the moon after the mission. Another experiment, the Lunar LiDAR Demonstration, will create high-resolution 3D maps for navigation and hazard avoidance. FLIP’s mobility, with a daily range of about 500 meters, aligns with NASA’s plans for sustained lunar exploration. Astrolab, based in Hawthorne, California, secured the contract through NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services program, originally intended for the canceled VIPER rover mission. The company’s CEO, Jaret Matthews, noted the rover’s role in advancing NASA’s 2026 moon base vision, emphasizing its importance for future lunar operations. Griffin-1 will mark Astrobotic’s second lunar landing attempt, following earlier commercial missions by Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines.
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