Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle by Lunar Outpost: status and timeline

Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle

Enable lunar astronauts to travel safely across the Moon's surface and conduct scientific exploration far from the landing site, while supporting cargo and reconnaissance missions autonomously.

ProtoStage 2 of 5

NASA awarded $220M in May 2026 to build it and land it on the Moon by 2028 on a Blue Origin lander.

Updated 27 May 2026Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Pegasus LTV development and testing

NASA contract awardMay 2026Complete.
Pegasus LTV development and testingTarget 2026Current milestone.
Flight qualification and deliveryTarget 2028Not yet reached.
Artemis IV crewed lunar landing deploymentTarget 2028Not yet reached.

Most important updates

NASA awards Lunar Outpost $220 million contract for Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle27 May 2026

Upcoming

2026Pegasus LTV development and testing (next)
2028Flight qualification and delivery
2028Artemis IV crewed lunar landing deployment

Current obstacles

Regolith abrasionLunar dust is extremely fine and sharp, abrading wheels and seals; materials must resist prolonged exposure.

Physics limits

Power and range trade-offsBattery capacity and dust abrasion limit how far the rover can travel before needing to return.
The two-week lunar nightNight at the Moon lasts about 14 Earth days with no sunlight and extreme cold, so surviving it takes stored power and heaters that add mass.

How it works

3 parts

Open rover

No cabin: crews ride in spacesuits

NASA's lunar terrain vehicle is unpressurized, so it carries no life support and stays light enough to land on a robotic lander.

Wheels and Suspension

Terrain navigation and traction

Treaded wheels grip regolith and navigate 20-degree slopes, engineered to handle fine dust abrasion.

Autonomous Navigation

Remote and independent operation

Can navigate autonomously or be controlled remotely from Earth for crew missions or cargo transport, enabling extended range exploration.

Spec sheet

Spec	Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle
NASA development contract	~$220M^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

1 update

Wed 27 May

Major: NASA awards Lunar Outpost $220 million contract for Pegasus Lunar Terrain VehiclePressCommercial

About Lunar Outpost

The team behind Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle

Lunar Outpost

Lunar Terrain Vehicle, Moon rover, Artemis

Develops advanced lunar rovers for NASA's Artemis program. Building the Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle to carry astronauts across the Moon's surface.

Lunar Outpost won one of two NASA awards in May 2026 to build the Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle.
The $220 million contract targets rover deployment by 2028 ahead of Artemis IV crewed landing.
The Pegasus LTV carries two astronauts across the lunar surface, capable of traveling hundreds of kilometers.

lunaroutpost.com (opens lunaroutpost.com)Company profile →

Founded: 20179 yrs
Headquarters: United States
Status: Private
Valuation: private
Raised: $220M1 round
Last round: NASA Lunar Terrain Vehicle contract · $220MMay 2026
Works in: SpaceflightMoon & deep space
Coverage: 1 program · 1 updatelatest 27 May 2026checked 11 Oct
Lead investors: NASA
Customers: NASA (opens nasa.gov)
People: Justin Cyrus (opens lunaroutpost.com)CEO and Co-founder

Spec

Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle

NASA development contract

~$220M^R (reported)