Lunar technology startup Venturi Astrolab has announced its groundbreaking moon rover mission, Mission 1, which is set to generate over $160 million in customer contracts. Scheduled for a mid-2026 launch and landing on a SpaceX Starship, the mission signifies a significant milestone in private space exploration and sustainability efforts.
Key Takeaway
Venturi Astrolab’s Mission 1, featuring the Flex rover, secured over
60 million in customer contracts, enabling innovative lunar explorations and sustainability experiments. With the support of various partners, Venturi Astrolab aims to revolutionize on-moon transportation and contribute to the establishment of a permanent lunar outpost.
Customer Contracts
The contract value is divided among eight customers, each contributing to the advancement of lunar technology:
- Argo Space Corporation will deploy a payload to further Venturi Astrolab’s ambition of extracting water from lunar regolith.
- Astroport Space Technologies will demonstrate a sieving and grain separation technology aimed at manufacturing bricks from lunar regolith.
- Avalon Space will conduct a series of experiments focused on the emerging lunar economy, covering science, exploration, and sustainable development.
- Interstellar Lab will deploy two small plant pods on the moon’s surface to study their composition and structure under lunar environmental conditions.
- LifeShip, Inc will deliver a capsule containing a DNA seed bank and an archive of Earth’s biodiversity, ensuring the preservation of our biosphere.
The remaining three customers involved in Venturi Astrolab’s moon rover mission have not been disclosed at this time.
Venturi Astrolab’s Flexible Logistics and Exploration Rover
Astrolab’s innovative rover, named Flexible Logistics and Exploration (Flex), has the remarkable capability of transporting up to 1,500 kilograms of payload to the lunar surface. Unlike previous lunar rovers, which were custom-designed for each mission, the Flex rover employs a modular system, enabling versatile cargo accommodation.
While the primary purpose of the Flex rover is cargo transportation, it can be adapted to carry two astronauts in an unpressurized configuration. Venturi Astrolab envisions playing a critical role in moon transportation logistics, collaborating with SpaceX and other transportation providers to facilitate lunar missions. Furthermore, the startup has long-term ambitions of deploying its rovers on Mars.
Looking Ahead: NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services Contract
Venturi Astrolab is among the select companies that have submitted bids for NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract. The contract aims to find solutions for transporting astronauts around the lunar South Pole, with the award slated for March 2023. This opportunity presents an exciting prospect for Venturi Astrolab to contribute to NASA’s lunar exploration initiatives.
