Astrobotic's Griffin lander targeting the lunar south pole. Will carry Astrolab's FLIP rover after NASA's VIPER was reassigned.
Griffin Mission 1 is Astrobotic's second attempt at a lunar landing following the Peregrine Mission One failure in January 2024. The Griffin lander is significantly larger than Peregrine — a heavy-lift platform designed to deliver up to 625 kg of payload to the lunar surface, targeting a site near the lunar south pole.
The mission was originally designed to carry NASA's VIPER rover, but after NASA cancelled VIPER in July 2024 due to cost overruns and then reassigned it to Blue Origin, Astrobotic secured a new primary payload: Astrolab's FLIP (Flexible Logistics and Exploration) rover, a compact technology demonstrator designed to validate mobility systems for future commercial lunar rovers.
Griffin uses a different propulsion approach than Peregrine, with a LOX/LH2 (liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen) propulsion system — the same propellant combination used by many upper stages. The mission will be a critical test for Astrobotic to demonstrate they can successfully land on the Moon after the Peregrine setback.
Demonstrate Astrobotic's ability to successfully soft-land the Griffin platform at the lunar south pole, validating the company after the Peregrine failure.
Deliver and deploy Astrolab's FLIP technology demonstrator rover, testing mobility and operations on the lunar surface.
Prove the Griffin platform's 625 kg payload delivery capability, establishing it as a workhorse for future large payloads including rover-class missions.
Validate cryogenic liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen propulsion for precision lunar landing, demonstrating a propellant combination well-suited for lunar operations.
NASA named Griffin Mission One as Moon Base II — the second mission of the agency's new Moon Base initiative. Planned for launch later this year aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, Griffin will deliver more than 1,100 pounds of cargo, including Astrolab's FLIP rover, to mature mobility systems that inform future Lunar Terrain Vehicle operations at the south pole.
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