Pittsburgh lunar robotics company snags $200M NASA contract

Deb Erdley | Thursday, June 11, 2020 4:31 p.m.

Courtesy of Astrobotic Technology

Astrobotic’s image shows a simulation of the VIPER lunar rover, which is slated to map the south pole of the moon in 2023, as it rolls off the Griffin lunar lander.

The phrase “from Pittsburgh to the moon” might not sound so odd in the near future.

Astrobotic Technology, a Pittsburgh-based lunar robotics company, claimed yet another piece of the pie in NASA’s race to explore the moon.

Company officials said Astrobotic recently won a $199.5 million NASA contract to deliver its VIPER lunar rover to the south pole of the moon in 2023.

The new deal calls for Astrobotic, which bills itself as the world’s leading lunar logistics service provider, to deliver the VIPER lunar rover to the moon aboard its Griffin lunar lander.

The NASA contract calls for the VIPER to survey the surface and subsurface for water ice, which could be used for breathable air and rocket propellant by future deep space explorers.

“It is an enormous honor and responsibility to be chosen by NASA to deliver this mission of national importance,” said Astrobotic CEO John Thornton. “Astrobotic’s lunar logistics services were created to open a new era on the moon. Delivering VIPER to look for water and setting the stage for the first human crew since Apollo embodies our mission as a company.”

Founded in Pittsburgh on the Carnegie Mellon University campus in 2007, Astrobotic has more than 30 prior and ongoing NASA and commercial technology contracts and a corporate sponsorship with DHL. The company hopes to transport commercial payloads to the moon.

The VIPER contract marks the second time Astrobotic won a lunar landing deal with the space agency. It is under contract to deliver its Peregrine lander to the moon next year.

Astrobotic’s Moon Ranger rover previously was selected by NASA for delivery to the moon in 2022 on the lander of another partner.