NASA Selects Companies for 2028 Moon Missions

NASA has selected Astrobotic, Firefly Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines to deliver four lunar missions as part of its Moon Base Program, aiming to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon by late 2028. The agency announced the decision on June 30, 2026, following a competitive selection process. The selected companies will develop and operate robotic landers to transport scientific payloads, infrastructure components, and technology demonstrations to the lunar surface, supporting NASA’s Artemis campaign and broader goals for lunar exploration.

The contracts include a focus on advancing lunar logistics and in-situ resource utilization, with each company tasked with specific mission objectives. Astrobotic will lead a mission to deploy a water extraction experiment near the Moon’s south pole, while Firefly Aerospace will test a modular habitat prototype. Intuitive Machines will conduct a high-resolution mapping campaign to identify potential landing zones for future crewed missions. NASA also clarified that the PROMISE rover, designed to analyze lunar soil composition, will be delivered in an engineering development version to allow for iterative improvements during the 2028 window.

This initiative marks a critical step in NASA’s strategy to partner with commercial entities for lunar operations, reducing costs and accelerating technological development. The selected missions align with international collaborations under the Artemis Accords, emphasizing shared scientific and economic opportunities on the Moon. Final mission designs and launch schedules are expected to be finalized by mid-2027.