Astrolab's FLIP Rover to Launch on Astrobotic's Lunar Lander in Late 2025

After NASA canceled its VIPER mission, Astrobotic secured Venturi Astrolab as a new payload partner for its Griffin lander.

Astrolab's FLIP rover will be delivered to the Moon's south pole by Astrobotic's Griffin-1 lander, with the mission targeted for late 2025.
NASA canceled its VIPER lunar mission in 2024, leaving Astrobotic's Griffin lander without a primary payload but still under contract to fly to the Moon.
Astrobotic received over 60 inquiries for the payload space and selected Astrolab's FLIP rover due to its compatibility and readiness.
FLIP will test technologies for lunar exploration, including dust mitigation systems, as a precursor to Astrolab's larger FLEX rover planned for future missions.
Astrobotic has addressed technical issues from its previous mission failure and aims to demonstrate Griffin's capabilities with this mission.