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| Attribute | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | CNSA | Astrobotic | Astrobotic |
| Prime contractor | China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) | Astrobotic | Astrobotic |
| Status | In development | Lost | In development |
| Customer | CNSA | NASA-CLPS | NASA-CLPS |
| Launch date | 2026-08 (NET) | 2024-01-08 | 2026-07 (NET) |
| Landing date | — | — | — |
| Landing site | Shackleton crater illuminated rim, lunar south pole | Sinus Viscositatis (planned; never reached) | Lunar south pole region |
| Payload | 18 science payloads across orbiter, lander, rover, mini-hopper, and Queqiao-2 (2026-05-28) | 20 payloads from 7 nations (2024-01-08) | Venturi Astrolab FLIP rover + mass-simulator + secondary payloads (2026-05-28) |
| Contract value | — | $108M (2024-01-08) | $199.5M (2020-06-11) |
| Outcome | China's first dedicated lunar south-pole prospecting mission. Mini-flying probe hops into permanently shadowed regions to sample for water-ice volatiles. Italian laser retroreflector aboard the lander. | 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. | 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.