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| Attribute | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Astrobotic | SpaceX | Astrobotic |
| Prime contractor | Astrobotic | SpaceX | Astrobotic |
| Status | In development | In development | Lost |
| Customer | NASA-CLPS | NASA-HLS | NASA-CLPS |
| Launch date | 2026-07 (NET) | 2027 (NET — Artemis III) | 2024-01-08 |
| Landing date | — | — | — |
| Landing site | Lunar south pole region | Lunar south pole (NASA-curated candidate region near 84-90°S) | Sinus Viscositatis (planned; never reached) |
| Payload | Venturi Astrolab FLIP rover + mass-simulator + secondary payloads (2026-05-28) | ~100 tonnes to lunar surface (sustained variant target) (2024-04-16) | 20 payloads from 7 nations (2024-01-08) |
| Contract value | $199.5M (2020-06-11) | $2.89B + $1.15B Option B = $4.04B total (2022-11-15) | $108M (2024-01-08) |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
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Underlying dataset: GET /api/moon/landers. Methodology: /moon/methodology.