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| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Operator | ESA | Astrobotic |
| Prime contractor | Thales Alenia Space (prime) | Astrobotic |
| Status | In development | In development |
| Customer | ESA | NASA-CLPS |
| Launch date | 2031 (NET) — ArgoNET operational mission | 2026-07 (NET) |
| Landing date | — | — |
| Landing site | Lunar south pole region (specific site TBD) | Lunar south pole region |
| Payload | Up to 2,100 kg payload (~10,000 kg launch mass) (2025-01-30) | Venturi Astrolab FLIP rover + mass-simulator + secondary payloads (2026-05-28) |
| Contract value | €862M (2025-01-30) | $199.5M (2020-06-11) |
| 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. | 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. |
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Underlying dataset: GET /api/moon/landers. Methodology: /moon/methodology.