NASA has unveiled new contracts for equipment essential to the early stages of building its Moon base, including lunar rovers for crew and uncrewed cargo landers. The announcement was made on May 26, 2026, as part of the agency's Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
According to NASA, the contracts cover the development of a Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) for astronauts to drive on the lunar surface, as well as cargo landers to deliver supplies and equipment. The LTV will be designed to operate in the harsh environment of the Moon's south pole, where the base is planned.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated, 'These contracts are a critical step in our plan to return humans to the Moon and stay there.' The agency has not disclosed the total value of the contracts, but they are part of a broader effort to support the Artemis III mission and subsequent lunar outpost construction.
The cargo landers will be uncrewed and capable of delivering up to 15 metric tons of payload to the lunar surface. The rovers will be used for exploration and transport of equipment and samples. NASA expects the first rovers to be operational by 2028.
