{"version":1,"dataset":"lunar-landers","count":21,"generatedAt":"2026-07-12T16:32:01.244Z","docs":"https://spaceodysseyhub.com/moon/methodology","license":"Data structure © SpaceOdysseyHub. Underlying facts public domain (agency primaries). Cite SpaceOdysseyHub + original source.","entries":[{"slug":"im-1-odysseus","image":"/images/external/file-intuitive-machines-nova-c-lunar-lander-im-00309-cropped-db3db2eb.webp","imageAlt":"Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lander Odysseus (IM-1) on a test stand before flight","imageCredit":"NASA Marshall Space Flight Center / Intuitive Machines","vehicle":"Nova-C IM-1","missionName":"Odysseus","operator":"Intuitive Machines","operatorSlug":"intuitive-machines","customer":["NASA-CLPS"],"status":"landed","launchDate":"2024-02-15","landingDate":"2024-02-22","landingSite":"Malapert A crater, ~300 km from lunar south pole","payloadMassKg":{"value":"~100 kg payload capacity (1,908 kg launch mass)","asOf":"2024-02-22","sourceIdx":0,"note":"Mission carried 12 payloads — 6 NASA CLPS + 6 commercial"},"contractValue":{"value":"$118M","asOf":"2024-02-15","sourceIdx":1,"note":"CLPS Task Order 2-IM; initial 2021 award $77M grew via modifications"},"primaryContractor":"Intuitive Machines","outcome":"First US Moon landing since Apollo 17 and first commercial soft landing in history. Lander tipped to ~30° on touchdown after landing-leg failure but transmitted data for ~7 days before sunset.","sources":[{"url":"https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=IM-1-NOVA","publisher":"NASA NSSDCA","retrieved":"2026-05-28","quote":"Odysseus landed on the Moon at Malapert A crater near the south pole on February 22, at 23:23:53 UT. After contact with the lunar surface on February 22 the lander tipped to an unplanned 30 degree angle, but all instrument payloads remained functional and the mission was deemed a success."},{"url":"https://investors.intuitivemachines.com/news-releases/news-release-details/intuitive-machines-historic-im-1-mission-success-american","publisher":"Intuitive Machines Investor Relations","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/missions/lro/nasas-lro-images-intuitive-machines-odysseus-lander/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"im-2-athena","image":"/images/external/file-im-2-athena-seen-obliquely-lroc1408-content-m1495922531-lrmos-warp-str01-st-4f9e9343.webp","imageAlt":"NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter view of Intuitive Machines' Athena (IM-2) lander near the lunar south pole","imageCredit":"NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University (LROC)","vehicle":"Nova-C IM-2","missionName":"Athena","operator":"Intuitive Machines","operatorSlug":"intuitive-machines","customer":["NASA-CLPS"],"status":"landed","launchDate":"2025-02-27","landingDate":"2025-03-06","landingSite":"Mons Mouton plateau, lunar south pole (~400 m off target)","payloadMassKg":{"value":"10 payloads delivered","asOf":"2025-03-06","sourceIdx":0,"note":"Including NASA PRIME-1 (TRIDENT drill + neutron spectrometer) and IM's µNova hopper"},"contractValue":{"value":"$62.5M","asOf":"2025-02-27","sourceIdx":1,"note":"CLPS Task Order PRIME-1 for water-ice prospecting at Mons Mouton"},"primaryContractor":"Intuitive Machines","outcome":"Soft-landed but tipped onto its side after altimeter failure caused the lander to strike a plateau and skid into a crater rim. Power depleted within ~24 hours; ~250 MB of data transmitted including TRIDENT drill range-of-motion demonstration.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-receives-some-data-before-intuitive-machines-ends-lunar-mission/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-2","publisher":"Intuitive Machines","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/03/07/intuitive-machines-im-2-mission-ends-with-lander-on-its-side-on-the-moon/","publisher":"Spaceflight Now","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"im-3-reiner-gamma","image":"/images/external/im-3-nova-c-lunar-surface.webp","imageAlt":"Artist's concept of Intuitive Machines' Nova-C IM-3 lander on the lunar surface near Reiner Gamma, with Earth in the sky","imageCredit":"NASA / Intuitive Machines","vehicle":"Nova-C IM-3","operator":"Intuitive Machines","operatorSlug":"intuitive-machines","customer":["NASA-CLPS"],"status":"in-development","launchDate":"2026-H2 (NET) — Falcon 9 from LC-39A","landingSite":"Reiner Gamma lunar swirl, Oceanus Procellarum","payloadMassKg":{"value":"4 NASA payloads + rover + data-relay satellite + secondary payloads","asOf":"2026-06-12","sourceIdx":0},"primaryContractor":"Intuitive Machines","outcome":"Targeted to be the first surface mission to land inside a lunar magnetic anomaly (swirl). Manifest includes three NASA-CADRE shoebox rovers, an ESA actuated laser retroreflector, and the Australian ALEPH-1 plant-growth payload. Verified still pre-launch as of 2026-06-12 (second-half-2026 target); descent profile upgraded post-IM-2 with redundant laser rangefinders and 12 calibration orbits before landing.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/event/clps-landing-intuitive-machines-im-3/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-06-12"},{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/clps/intuitive-machines/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IM-3","publisher":"Wikipedia","retrieved":"2026-06-12"}],"lastVerified":"2026-06-12","confidence":"high"},{"slug":"blue-ghost-mission-1","image":"/images/external/file-blue-ghost-m1-in-fairing-84527ef7.webp","imageAlt":"Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1 lander encapsulated inside the Falcon 9 payload fairing before launch","imageCredit":"SpaceX","vehicle":"Blue Ghost","missionName":"Ghost Riders in the Sky","operator":"Firefly Aerospace","operatorSlug":"firefly-aerospace","customer":["NASA-CLPS"],"status":"landed","launchDate":"2025-01-15","landingDate":"2025-03-02","landingSite":"Mare Crisium near Mons Latreille (lunar near side)","payloadMassKg":{"value":"10 NASA CLPS payloads","asOf":"2025-03-02","sourceIdx":1},"contractValue":{"value":"$101.5M","asOf":"2025-03-02","sourceIdx":2,"note":"Initial 2021 CLPS Task Order to Firefly for 10 payloads"},"primaryContractor":"Firefly Aerospace","outcome":"First fully successful commercial soft landing on the Moon (upright, full mission). Operated 346 hours (~14.4 lunar days of daylight + post-sunset science) before battery depletion. Awarded the 2025 Collier Trophy.","sources":[{"url":"https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-becomes-first-commercial-company-to-successfully-land-on-the-moon/","publisher":"Firefly Aerospace","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=BLUEGHOST","publisher":"NASA NSSDCA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-1/","publisher":"Firefly Aerospace","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"blue-ghost-mission-2","image":"/images/external/e2a-pia26599-bgm2-etl-9c257c46.webp","imageAlt":"Full-scale model of Firefly's Blue Ghost Mission 2 lander undergoing environmental testing at NASA's JPL","imageCredit":"NASA/JPL-Caltech","vehicle":"Blue Ghost + Elytra Dark","operator":"Firefly Aerospace","operatorSlug":"firefly-aerospace","customer":["NASA-CLPS","ESA"],"status":"in-development","launchDate":"2026-Q4 (NET)","landingSite":"Lunar far side (specific site TBD; supports LuSEE-Night)","payloadMassKg":{"value":"Dual-spacecraft: Blue Ghost lander + Elytra orbital relay","asOf":"2026-05-28","sourceIdx":0,"note":"Surface ops target ≥10 days; LuSEE-Night continues post-shutdown for up to 2 years"},"primaryContractor":"Firefly Aerospace","outcome":"First commercial far-side landing attempt. Elytra deploys ESA's Lunar Pathfinder relay before Blue Ghost descends, providing dual-S/X-band relay for surface and orbital users. JPL's User Terminal Payload delivered for integration April 2026.","sources":[{"url":"https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-2/","publisher":"Firefly Aerospace","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Firefly_to_take_Lunar_Pathfinder_to_the_Moon","publisher":"ESA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-jpl-shakes-things-up-testing-future-commercial-lunar-spacecraft/","publisher":"NASA JPL","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"peregrine-mission-one","image":"/images/external/ksc-20231121-ph-ula01-0003-large-b4e434de.webp","imageAlt":"Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander prepared for encapsulation in the ULA Vulcan payload fairing, 2023","imageCredit":"NASA / Kennedy Space Center","vehicle":"Peregrine","missionName":"Peregrine Mission One","operator":"Astrobotic","operatorSlug":"astrobotic","customer":["NASA-CLPS"],"status":"lost","launchDate":"2024-01-08","landingSite":"Sinus Viscositatis (planned; never reached)","payloadMassKg":{"value":"20 payloads from 7 nations","asOf":"2024-01-08","sourceIdx":0,"note":"5 NASA payloads + commercial + sovereign + private memorials"},"contractValue":{"value":"$108M","asOf":"2024-01-08","sourceIdx":1,"note":"Initial 2019 CLPS award $79.5M; grew via modifications"},"primaryContractor":"Astrobotic","outcome":"Maiden flight of ULA's Vulcan Centaur. Helium pressurant valve failed to reseal post-actuation, over-pressurizing the oxidizer tank and rupturing it. Lander commanded into controlled re-entry; burned up over South Pacific 2024-01-18.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2024/01/11/nasa-science-data-collection-ongoing-aboard-peregrine-mission-one/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.astrobotic.com/astrobotic-awarded-79-5-million-contract-to-deliver-14-nasa-payloads-to-the-moon/","publisher":"Astrobotic","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://oig.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/final-report-ig-24-013-nasas-commercial-lunar-payload-services-initiative.pdf","publisher":"NASA OIG IG-24-013","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"griffin-1-flip","image":"/images/external/astrobotic-9409bf2d.webp","imageAlt":"Astrobotic's Griffin lunar lander inside the company's integration facility ahead of its first flight","imageCredit":"NASA / Astrobotic","vehicle":"Griffin","missionName":"Griffin Mission 1","operator":"Astrobotic","operatorSlug":"astrobotic","customer":["NASA-CLPS"],"status":"in-development","launchDate":"2026-07 (NET)","landingSite":"Lunar south pole region","payloadMassKg":{"value":"Venturi Astrolab FLIP rover + mass-simulator + secondary payloads","asOf":"2026-05-28","sourceIdx":0,"note":"Original VIPER manifest cancelled by NASA July 2024; CLPS task order retained for lander demo"},"contractValue":{"value":"$199.5M","asOf":"2020-06-11","sourceIdx":1,"note":"CLPS Task Order 19D; VIPER payload value modified after VIPER cancellation"},"primaryContractor":"Astrobotic","outcome":"NASA cancelled VIPER July 2024 citing cost overruns; saved ~$84M vs ~$104M completion cost. Astrobotic retained the lander demonstration task. Mission slipped from late 2025 to NET July 2026. FLIP rover (Venturi Astrolab) selected as replacement manifest.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.astrobotic.com/astrobotic-awarded-199-5-million-contract-to-deliver-nasa-moon-rover/","publisher":"Astrobotic","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://spacenews.com/astrobotic-delays-griffin-1-lander-mission-to-mid-2026/","publisher":"SpaceNews","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.planetary.org/articles/nasa-cancels-viper","publisher":"The Planetary Society","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"medium","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"blue-moon-pathfinder-mission-1","image":"/images/external/blue-origin-mk-1-42be03bd.webp","imageAlt":"Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 lander inside Thermal Vacuum Chamber A at NASA's Johnson Space Center","imageCredit":"NASA","vehicle":"Blue Moon Mark 1","missionName":"Pathfinder Mission 1","operator":"Blue Origin","operatorSlug":"blue-origin","customer":["NASA-CLPS"],"status":"in-development","launchDate":"Delayed indefinitely (was NET 2026-07) — New Glenn grounded","landingSite":"Lunar south pole region","payloadMassKg":{"value":"3,000 kg surface payload capacity (21,350 kg wet lander mass)","asOf":"2026-05-28","sourceIdx":0,"note":"Lander dimensions: 8.05 m tall × 3.08 m diameter; BE-7 cryogenic engine"},"primaryContractor":"Blue Origin","outcome":"First flight test of Blue Moon Mark 1. Carries NASA CLPS Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies + Laser Retroreflective Array. Targets 100 m landing precision. Lander completed full-scale thermal-vacuum testing at NASA Plum Brook (Armstrong Test Facility) May 2026 — but the mission is delayed indefinitely: its New Glenn launch vehicle has been grounded since the NG-3 failure on 2026-04-19, and another New Glenn was destroyed in a pre-launch static-fire explosion at LC-36 on 2026-05-28.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.blueorigin.com/blue-moon/mark-1","publisher":"Blue Origin","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/blue-origin-moon-lander-completes-testing-at-nasa-vacuum-chamber/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/event/clps-flight-blue-origins-blue-moon-mark-1/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/05/29/blue-origins-new-glenn-rocket-explodes-during-prelaunch-testing-at-cape-canaveral/","publisher":"Spaceflight Now","retrieved":"2026-06-12"}],"lastVerified":"2026-06-12","confidence":"high"},{"slug":"blue-moon-mk1-viper","image":"/images/external/blue-origin-mk-1-42be03bd.webp","imageAlt":"Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 lander during thermal-vacuum testing at NASA's Johnson Space Center","imageCredit":"NASA","vehicle":"Blue Moon Mark 1 (flight 2)","missionName":"Blue Moon MK1 / VIPER Delivery","operator":"Blue Origin","operatorSlug":"blue-origin","customer":["NASA-CLPS"],"status":"in-development","landingSite":"Lunar south pole (VIPER traverse site)","payloadMassKg":{"value":"VIPER rover (~430 kg dry)","asOf":"2025-09-19","sourceIdx":0},"contractValue":{"value":"$190M","asOf":"2025-09-19","sourceIdx":0,"note":"Contingent on success of first Blue Moon MK1 mission"},"primaryContractor":"Blue Origin","outcome":"NASA's CLPS task order awarded 2025-09-19 after pulling VIPER from Griffin. Re-uses second MK1 lander production unit; mission cadence depends on Pathfinder Mission 1 outcome — itself delayed indefinitely as of mid-2026 with New Glenn grounded after the NG-3 failure (2026-04-19) and the 2026-05-28 LC-36 static-fire explosion.","sources":[{"url":"https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/10/28/blue-origin-details-lunar-exploration-progress-amid-artemis-3-contract-shakeup/","publisher":"Spaceflight Now","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.space.com/space-exploration/moon-rovers/private-flip-rover-replaces-nasas-viper-on-astrobotic-moon-mission","publisher":"Space.com","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"low","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"hakuto-r-mission-1","image":"/images/external/file-maquette-de-hakuto-r-iac-2022-76be3241.webp","imageAlt":"Full-scale model of ispace's HAKUTO-R Series 1 lunar lander, displayed at IAC 2022","imageCredit":"Artvill / Wikimedia Commons","vehicle":"HAKUTO-R Series 1","missionName":"HAKUTO-R Mission 1","operator":"ispace","operatorSlug":"ispace-inc","customer":["private"],"status":"lost","launchDate":"2022-12-11","landingDate":"2023-04-25","landingSite":"Atlas crater, Mare Frigoris (planned; impacted at altitude ~5 km)","payloadMassKg":{"value":"Rashid rover (10 kg, UAE/MBRSC) + Sora-Q (0.25 kg, JAXA) + commercial","asOf":"2023-04-25","sourceIdx":0},"primaryContractor":"ispace","outcome":"Travelled ~1.4M km — at the time, furthest a privately funded spacecraft had flown. Software flagged the radar altimeter as faulty after the lander crossed a crater rim cliff and ignored its readings. Lander ran out of fuel hovering ~5 km above surface and free-fell.","sources":[{"url":"https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=4220","publisher":"ispace","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakuto-R_Mission_1","publisher":"Wikipedia","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"medium","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"hakuto-r-mission-2-resilience","image":"/images/external/file-resilience-lander-replica01-20250528athanedaairport-05816ec9.webp","imageAlt":"Full-scale replica of ispace's RESILIENCE (HAKUTO-R Mission 2) lunar lander, Haneda Airport, 2025","imageCredit":"テレストレラッソ / Wikimedia Commons","vehicle":"HAKUTO-R Series 2","missionName":"Resilience (SMBC × HAKUTO-R Venture Moon)","operator":"ispace","operatorSlug":"ispace-inc","customer":["private"],"status":"lost","launchDate":"2025-01-15","landingDate":"2025-06-05","landingSite":"Mare Frigoris (center; hard landing)","payloadMassKg":{"value":"Tenacious micro-rover (5 kg, ispace EU) + 5 commercial payloads","asOf":"2025-06-05","sourceIdx":0},"primaryContractor":"ispace","outcome":"Laser Range Finder anomaly during descent caused hard landing; data lost ~90 seconds before scheduled touchdown at 19:17 UTC. NASA's LRO imaged impact dark-smudge on 2025-06-11. ispace's 2025-06-24 technical analysis ruled out propulsion/power; isolated cause to LRF.","sources":[{"url":"https://ispace-inc.com/news-en/?p=7671","publisher":"ispace","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/missions/lro/nasas-lro-views-ispace-hakuto-r-mission-2-moon-lander-impact-site/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://nasaspaceflight.com/2025/06/hakuto-r-m2-landing/","publisher":"NASASpaceFlight.com","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"ispace-apex-mission-3","vehicle":"APEX 1.0","missionName":"ispace Mission 3 (Team Draper)","operator":"ispace","operatorSlug":"ispace-inc","customer":["NASA-CLPS"],"status":"in-development","launchDate":"2027 (NET)","landingSite":"Schrödinger Basin, lunar far side near south pole","payloadMassKg":{"value":"300 kg surface payload capacity","asOf":"2026-05-28","sourceIdx":0,"note":"~10× capacity of Series-1/Series-2 landers; deploys 2 relay satellites pre-descent"},"contractValue":{"value":"$73M","asOf":"2022-07-21","sourceIdx":1,"note":"Team Draper CLPS Task Order CP-12 for 3 NASA payloads"},"primaryContractor":"Draper","outcome":"Pivoted from Series-2 to APEX 1.0 architecture for higher payload capacity and far-side comms via two relay satellites. Far-side polar landing supports NASA's Endurance-A sample-return precursor science.","sources":[{"url":"https://ispace-us.com/mission-3/","publisher":"ispace U.S.","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://science.nasa.gov/lunar-science/clps-deliveries/cp-12/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=DRAPER","publisher":"NASA NSSDCA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"slim-jaxa","image":"/images/external/file-slim-lev1-lev2-jaxa-sagamiharacampus-advancedfacilityforspaceexploration-sp-963e7944.webp","imageAlt":"Life-size models of JAXA's SLIM 'Moon Sniper' lander with its LEV-1 and LEV-2 rovers at JAXA Sagamihara","imageCredit":"テレストレラッソ / Wikimedia Commons","vehicle":"SLIM","missionName":"Smart Lander for Investigating Moon ('Moon Sniper')","operator":"JAXA","operatorSlug":"jaxa","customer":["JAXA"],"status":"landed","launchDate":"2023-09-06","landingDate":"2024-01-19","landingSite":"Near Shioli crater, Mare Nectaris (~10 m precision vs 100 m target)","payloadMassKg":{"value":"LEV-1 (2.1 kg hopper) + LEV-2 'SORA-Q' (0.25 kg sphere)","asOf":"2024-01-19","sourceIdx":0},"primaryContractor":"Mitsubishi Electric","outcome":"First Japanese soft landing; made Japan the 5th nation to soft-land on the Moon. One of two main engines failed at ~50 m altitude; lander touched down on its side but still met 100-m precision goal. Survived four lunar-night cycles despite not being designed for it; declared concluded 2024-08-23.","sources":[{"url":"https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2024/01/20240125-1_e.html","publisher":"JAXA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2024/01/20240120-1_e.html","publisher":"JAXA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/missions/lro/nasas-lro-spots-japans-moon-lander/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"chandrayaan-3","image":"/images/external/file-chandrayaan-3-integrated-module-in-clean-room-01-a4b0f874.webp","imageAlt":"Chandrayaan-3 integrated module — the Vikram lander with Pragyan rover stowed — in an ISRO clean room","imageCredit":"ISRO","vehicle":"Vikram + Pragyan","missionName":"Chandrayaan-3","operator":"ISRO","operatorSlug":"isro","customer":["ISRO"],"status":"landed","launchDate":"2023-07-14","landingDate":"2023-08-23","landingSite":"Statio Shiv Shakti, 69.37°S — first soft landing near lunar south pole","payloadMassKg":{"value":"Pragyan rover 27 kg + lander Vikram 1,749 kg","asOf":"2023-08-23","sourceIdx":0},"contractValue":{"value":"₹6.15B (~$75M USD)","asOf":"2023-07-14","sourceIdx":1,"note":"Total programme cost — among the lowest-cost lunar landings in history"},"primaryContractor":"ISRO","outcome":"First soft landing near the lunar south pole and first lunar landing by ISRO. Pragyan rover traversed ~100 m over 10 lunar days, confirmed sulfur, aluminium, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon, oxygen at the landing site. Lander 'hopped' to a secondary location demonstrating reusable propulsion.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.isro.gov.in/Chandrayaan3_New.html","publisher":"ISRO","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/chandrayaan-3","publisher":"ESA eoPortal","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"chandrayaan-4","image":"/images/external/file-chandrayaan-4-integrated-module-computer-aided-design-cad-2024-b8d05bae.webp","imageAlt":"ISRO CAD concept of the Chandrayaan-4 five-module sample-return spacecraft stack","imageCredit":"ISRO","vehicle":"Chandrayaan-4 (5-module sample return)","operator":"ISRO","operatorSlug":"isro","customer":["ISRO"],"status":"in-development","launchDate":"2027–2028 (NET)","landingSite":"Near Mons Mouton, lunar south pole","payloadMassKg":{"value":"Up to 3 kg lunar sample return","asOf":"2026-02-06","sourceIdx":0},"primaryContractor":"ISRO","outcome":"India's first lunar sample-return mission. Five modules launched on two LVM3 vehicles; requires both Earth-orbit and lunar-orbit docking — first-time capabilities for ISRO. Architecture sanctioned by Government of India September 2024.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.isro.gov.in/ISRO_Nationalsciencemeet_ch4.html","publisher":"ISRO","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/india-chandrayaan-4-moon-sample-return-mission-2027-isro-space-125020600968_1.html","publisher":"Business Standard","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"change-6","image":"/images/external/file-chang-e-6-mockup-at-iac-2024-01-89db3c33.webp","imageAlt":"Full mockup of the Chang'e 6 lander-ascender stack, displayed at IAC 2024","imageCredit":"BugWarp / Wikimedia Commons","vehicle":"Chang'e 6 (orbiter + lander + ascender + returner)","operator":"CNSA","operatorSlug":"cnsa","customer":["CNSA"],"status":"landed","launchDate":"2024-05-03","landingDate":"2024-06-01","landingSite":"Apollo crater, South Pole-Aitken Basin (lunar far side)","payloadMassKg":{"value":"1,935.3 g of lunar far-side regolith returned to Earth","asOf":"2024-06-25","sourceIdx":0,"note":"Returned via re-entry capsule landing in Inner Mongolia"},"primaryContractor":"China Academy of Space Technology (CAST)","outcome":"First-ever sample return from the lunar far side and the South Pole-Aitken Basin. Used the Queqiao-2 relay satellite for far-side comms. Samples revealed unexpectedly cohesive grain behavior and excavated material from the Moon's mantle.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/english/n6465652/n6465653/c10573596/content.html","publisher":"CNSA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202406/25/content_WS667a644dc6d0868f4e8e8864.html","publisher":"Government of China","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://academic.oup.com/nsr/article/11/11/nwae328/7758366","publisher":"National Science Review (Oxford Academic)","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"change-7","image":"/images/external/change-7-wenchang-2026.webp","imageAlt":"China's Chang'e 7 spacecraft, under protective covering, during launch preparations at the Wenchang Space Launch Center, 2026","imageCredit":"China News Service / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)","vehicle":"Chang'e 7 (orbiter + lander + rover + mini-flying probe)","operator":"CNSA","operatorSlug":"cnsa","customer":["CNSA"],"status":"in-development","launchDate":"2026-08 (NET)","landingSite":"Shackleton crater illuminated rim, lunar south pole","payloadMassKg":{"value":"21 science payloads (6 international) across orbiter, lander, rover, mini-hopper, and Queqiao-2","asOf":"2026-06-12","sourceIdx":1,"note":"Payload count revised from 18 to 21 as the mission arrived at Wenchang for its ~Aug 2026 launch"},"primaryContractor":"China Academy of Space Technology (CAST)","outcome":"China's first dedicated lunar south-pole prospecting mission. Mini-flying probe hops into permanently shadowed regions to sample for water-ice volatiles. Six international payloads aboard, including an Italian laser retroreflector. Spacecraft arrived at the Wenchang spaceport for launch preparations, targeting ~August 2026.","sources":[{"url":"https://academic.oup.com/nsr/article/11/2/nwad329/7503932","publisher":"National Science Review (Oxford Academic)","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://spacenews.com/chinas-change-7-arrives-at-spaceport-for-lunar-south-pole-exploration-mission/","publisher":"SpaceNews","retrieved":"2026-06-12"},{"url":"https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=CHANG-E-7","publisher":"NASA NSSDCA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"lastVerified":"2026-06-12","confidence":"high"},{"slug":"argonaut-european-large-logistics-lander","vehicle":"Argonaut (European Large Logistics Lander, EL3)","operator":"ESA","operatorSlug":"esa","customer":["ESA"],"status":"in-development","launchDate":"2031 (NET) — ArgoNET operational mission","landingSite":"Lunar south pole region (specific site TBD)","payloadMassKg":{"value":"Up to 2,100 kg payload (~10,000 kg launch mass)","asOf":"2025-01-30","sourceIdx":0,"note":"6 m tall × 4.5 m diameter; 50-100 m landing precision target; launches on Ariane 64"},"contractValue":{"value":"€862M","asOf":"2025-01-30","sourceIdx":1,"note":"Thales Alenia Space prime contract for Lunar Descent Element"},"primaryContractor":"Thales Alenia Space (prime)","outcome":"Europe's first dedicated lunar lander program. Designed to deliver cargo, infrastructure, and surface assets supporting Artemis-era operations. Argonaut Mission 1 demonstration NET 2030; first operational mission ArgoNET in 2031.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Exploration/Argonaut_Europe_s_lunar_lander_programme","publisher":"ESA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.thalesaleniaspace.com/en/press-releases/thales-alenia-space-signs-contract-esa-develop-argonaut-lunar-lander-cargo-delivery","publisher":"Thales Alenia Space","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/ESA_and_Thales_Alenia_Space_present_the_industrial_consortium_for_Argonaut_Lunar_Descent_Element","publisher":"ESA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"lupex-chandrayaan-5","image":"/images/external/file-lupex-1-cefa0773.webp","imageAlt":"Quarter-scale model of the LUPEX lunar polar lander-rover, displayed at Expo 2025","imageCredit":"Artem.G / Wikimedia Commons","vehicle":"LUPEX (ISRO lander + JAXA rover)","missionName":"Lunar Polar Exploration Mission","operator":"JAXA + ISRO","operatorSlug":"jaxa","customer":["JAXA","ISRO"],"status":"in-development","launchDate":"2028 (NET)","landingSite":"Lunar south pole (permanently shadowed crater margin)","payloadMassKg":{"value":"~350 kg rover with drilling to 1.5 m + ISRO lander","asOf":"2026-05-28","sourceIdx":0,"note":"Multi-instrument payload — REIWA, LTGA, TRITON, ADORE, ISAP, ALIS, NS, EMS-L, GPR, MIR, PRATHIMA"},"primaryContractor":"JAXA + ISRO","outcome":"Joint ISRO-JAXA water-ice prospecting mission, designated Chandrayaan-5 by India. India's cabinet approved Phase A on 2025-03-10. Launches on JAXA's H3. Carries American and European instruments alongside Indian and Japanese ones.","sources":[{"url":"https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/en/biz-lab/tech/lupex/","publisher":"JAXA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Polar_Exploration_Mission","publisher":"Wikipedia","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"},{"slug":"starship-hls","image":"/images/external/11-04-24-hls-2-raptors-large-4dd436ad.webp","imageAlt":"Artist's concept of SpaceX's Starship HLS firing two Raptor engines in a braking burn before its Moon landing","imageCredit":"NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center","vehicle":"Starship HLS","missionName":"Artemis III LEO Demo → Artemis IV Crewed Landing","operator":"SpaceX","operatorSlug":"spacex","customer":["NASA-HLS"],"status":"in-development","launchDate":"Late 2027 (NET — Artemis III crewed LEO docking demo); first crewed landing Artemis IV (~2028)","landingSite":"Lunar south pole (NASA-curated candidate region near 84-90°S) — first surface use Artemis IV","payloadMassKg":{"value":"~100 tonnes to lunar surface (sustained variant target)","asOf":"2024-04-16","sourceIdx":1,"note":"Largest crewed lunar lander ever contracted. Stands ~50 m tall — 15-story building scale. Elevator transfers crew between cabin and surface."},"contractValue":{"value":"$2.89B + $1.15B Option B = $4.04B total","asOf":"2022-11-15","sourceIdx":2,"note":"Original Option A (Artemis III, April 2021) $2.89B; Option B (Artemis IV sustained, November 2022) added $1.15B. Total HLS ceiling $4.5B."},"primaryContractor":"SpaceX","outcome":"Selected April 2021 as sole HLS provider for Artemis III. Architecture requires Super Heavy launch + multiple Starship tanker refueling flights in LEO + transit to NRHO + rendezvous with Orion (SLS). NASA OIG IG-26-004 (March 2026) flagged crew-rescue capability as open risk. October 2025: NASA acting administrator Sean Duffy reopened the Artemis III lander contract to competition due to Starship development pace. In 2026 NASA redefined Artemis III as a crewed HLS docking demonstration in Earth orbit (late 2027 NET), naming the crew — Randy Bresnik, Luca Parmitano, Frank Rubio, and Andre Douglas — on June 9, 2026; the first crewed lunar landing moved to Artemis IV (~2028).","sources":[{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasa-awards-spacex-second-contract-option-for-artemis-moon-landing/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-marches-toward-artemis-iii-mission-in-2027-names-crew-members/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-06-12"},{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/reference/human-landing-systems/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://oig.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/final-report-ig-26-004-nasas-management-of-the-human-landing-system-contracts.pdf","publisher":"NASA OIG IG-26-004","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://spacenews.com/duffy-says-nasa-will-open-artemis-3-lander-contract-to-competition/","publisher":"SpaceNews","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"lastVerified":"2026-06-12","confidence":"high"},{"slug":"blue-moon-mk2-hls","vehicle":"Blue Moon Mark 2","missionName":"Sustaining HLS (Artemis V+)","operator":"Blue Origin","operatorSlug":"blue-origin","customer":["NASA-HLS"],"status":"in-development","launchDate":"2030 (NET — Artemis V crewed); uncrewed demo 2027","landingSite":"Lunar south pole — 30-day surface stays","payloadMassKg":{"value":"20 t reusable / 30 t one-way to surface; crew 2-4 for up to 30 days","asOf":"2026-01-04","sourceIdx":0,"note":"Three BE-7 engines burning LH2/LOX. Paired with Cislunar Transporter space tug built by Lockheed Martin."},"contractValue":{"value":"$3.4B","asOf":"2023-05-19","sourceIdx":1,"note":"NASA Sustaining Lunar Development HLS contract — second provider alongside SpaceX Starship HLS"},"primaryContractor":"Blue Origin (with Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Draper, Astrobotic, Honeybee Robotics on prime team)","outcome":"Selected May 2023 as second HLS provider for sustained Artemis-era lunar operations. Full-scale prototype delivered to NASA Johnson Space Center in early 2026 for astronaut training. Completed third pressurized suit-test campaign with NASA Johnson's Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS).","sources":[{"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Moon_(spacecraft)","publisher":"Wikipedia (NASA-sourced)","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-blue-origin-as-second-artemis-lunar-lander-provider/","publisher":"NASA","retrieved":"2026-05-28"},{"url":"https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/10/28/blue-origin-details-lunar-exploration-progress-amid-artemis-3-contract-shakeup/","publisher":"Spaceflight Now","retrieved":"2026-05-28"}],"confidence":"high","lastVerified":"2026-05-28"}]}