Astrobotic, a Pittsburgh-based space exploration company, has chosen Astrolab's FLIP rover to join its inaugural Griffin lunar lander mission. The rover will replace one that had to be withdrawn last summer, providing valuable testing opportunities for Astrolab's larger FLEX commercial vehicle.
Astrobotic , a Pittsburgh-based company, has secured a replacement rover for its inaugural Griffin lunar lander mission. Last summer, a planned rover for the mission had to be withdrawn, leaving a significant gap. This void has now been filled by FLIP , a rover developed by California-based Astrolab .
John Thornton, founder and CEO of Astrobotic, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, 'Astrobotic received worldwide interest from dozens of organizations eager to fly aboard Griffin-1, and we conducted a rigorous selection process to identify the mission partner that aligned best with our timeline and Griffin’s capabilities.' He further emphasized Astrolab's shared vision of making lunar science, exploration, and commercial activity both accessible and transformative. Thornton added, 'By deploying the FLIP rover on Griffin-1, we are advancing humanity’s future on the moon and enabling groundbreaking U.S. technology demonstrations at the lunar south pole.' FLIP (Flex Lunar Innovation Platform) is a robust, four-wheeled robotic vehicle weighing approximately 1,000 pounds on Earth and capable of carrying up to 66 pounds of payload. The rover boasts the ability to conduct independent exploration tasks while also serving as a testing platform for technologies destined for Astrolab's larger FLEX (Flexible Logistics and Exploration) commercial vehicle. FLEX, a car-sized rover capable of transporting two astronauts or operating autonomously, is slated to make its first lunar landing. Jaret Matthews, founder and CEO of Astrolab, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, 'By joining Griffin Mission One, we will gather key insights into how lunar rovers like FLIP and FLEX operate in real lunar conditions.' Matthews further emphasized, 'Bringing FLIP to the moon offers an opportunity to demonstrate and test many of the critical technologies that will advance the commercial FLEX vehicle, including full-sized batteries, tires, critical avionics systems, sensors and software.' Griffin's upcoming debut will mark Astrobotic's second lunar mission. The company previously launched its smaller Peregrine moon lander in January 2024 as part of the inaugural flight of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket. Notably, NASA's VIPER rover, originally scheduled for this mission, may still reach the moon, albeit not on Griffin-1. Earlier this week, NASA announced its decision to keep VIPER on the ground for further testing and evaluation
Astrobotic Griffin FLIP Astrolab Lunar Lander Space Exploration Rover FLEX NASA
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