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| Attribute | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | CNSA | Firefly Aerospace | Astrobotic |
| Prime contractor | China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) | Firefly Aerospace | Astrobotic |
| Status | Landed | Landed | In development |
| Customer | CNSA | NASA-CLPS | NASA-CLPS |
| Launch date | 2024-05-03 | 2025-01-15 | 2026-07 (NET) |
| Landing date | 2024-06-01 | 2025-03-02 | — |
| Landing site | Apollo crater, South Pole-Aitken Basin (lunar far side) | Mare Crisium near Mons Latreille (lunar near side) | Lunar south pole region |
| Payload | 1,935.3 g of lunar far-side regolith returned to Earth (2024-06-25) | 10 NASA CLPS payloads (2025-03-02) | Venturi Astrolab FLIP rover + mass-simulator + secondary payloads (2026-05-28) |
| Contract value | — | $101.5M (2025-03-02) | $199.5M (2020-06-11) |
| 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. | 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. | 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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