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| Attribute | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | ISRO | Intuitive Machines | SpaceX |
| Prime contractor | ISRO | Intuitive Machines | SpaceX |
| Status | In development | In development | In development |
| Customer | ISRO | NASA-CLPS | NASA-HLS |
| Launch date | 2027–2028 (NET) | 2026-Q4 (NET) | 2027 (NET — Artemis III) |
| Landing date | — | — | — |
| Landing site | Near Mons Mouton, lunar south pole | Reiner Gamma lunar swirl, Oceanus Procellarum | Lunar south pole (NASA-curated candidate region near 84-90°S) |
| Payload | Up to 3 kg lunar sample return (2026-02-06) | 4 NASA payloads + rover + data-relay satellite + secondary payloads (2026-05-28) | ~100 tonnes to lunar surface (sustained variant target) (2024-04-16) |
| Contract value | — | — | $2.89B + $1.15B Option B = $4.04B total (2022-11-15) |
| 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. | 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. | 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 Artemis III lander contract to competition due to Starship development pace. |
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Underlying dataset: GET /api/moon/landers. Methodology: /moon/methodology.