As its test program advances, SpaceX has executed its second agreement to transport a cargo to the Moon via a Starship lunar lander
Lunar Outpost, a company based in Colorado, said that Starship will bring Eagle, their tough robot, to the moon’s surface by 2029. CEO of Lunar Outpost Justin Cyrus wouldn’t say anything else about the trip, like how much it would cost or whether this would be a dedicated flight or part of a ride-share.
Also, it’s not clear how Starship will get the rover, which looks like a small pickup truck, from inside the ship to the surface.
NASA gave Lunar Outpost and two other teams the chance to be part of the first step of a lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) program earlier this year. This was a big boost for their plans to send a rover to the moon. The three teams were given a one-year contract to make their rover ideas better so that humans might be able to use them as part of NASA’s Artemis program.
At the end of the year, there will be a competitive request for proposals, and the three companies will fight for a demonstration task order.
The LTV program could make a lot of money. The task orders could be worth a total of $4.6 billion over the next 13 years, but the government has said it will only choose one provider because of budget concerns.
NASA may not choose the team led by Lunar Outpost, which also includes Leidos, General Motors, Goodyear, and MDA Space. However, Cyrus said that the company still plans to move forward with rover development.
“The Lunar Outpost Eagle is our most important vehicle and will be the backbone of outposts on other planets,” Cyrus said in an email. “Mobility has been at the heart of our business since the beginning, and the lunar terrain vehicle has made our already world-leading capabilities even better, allowing us to establish a permanent presence on the moon and Mars.”
The startup also raised an undisclosed amount of money in a Series A round last month to help fund a number of projects, such as the creation of the rover.
The new deal for Starship cargo transport comes after SpaceX made a similar deal with Venturi Astrolab last year to bring its rover to the moon’s surface. Venturi Astrolab is also leading a team chosen through the LTV program.
