Lunar Outpost to Launch First Mission to Explore the Moon’s Surface, Advancing a Sustainable Human Presence in Space

February 26, 2025 at 10:49 AM EST

Lunar Outpost’s MAPP Rover will be the first commercial rover to explore the Moon, and the first rover to voyage to the South Pole region

The mission will carry commercial payloads from MIT to a football club, execute the first sale of space resources with NASA through regolith collection, and gather critical data to shape the future of lunar exploration

GOLDEN, Colo., Feb. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lunar Outpost, a leader in planetary mobility and space resource utilization, is set to redefine the future of space exploration with the launch of Lunar Voyage 1 (LV1), the company’s historic first mission to the Moon. Slated to launch no earlier than February 26, 2025, Lunar Outpost’s groundbreaking rover will land at the Moon’s South Pole, marking a defining moment in the evolution of commercial space activity.

At the heart of this mission is the Lunar Outpost MAPP (Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform) rover, the first commercial rover to operate on another planetary body. MAPP will make history as the first rover to explore the Moon’s South Pole, a region critical to future lunar infrastructure and sustainability, and complete the first commercial sale of space resources, a significant step in unlocking the economic potential of the Moon.

The rover will also carry cutting-edge payloads from MIT and other global partners, showcasing how private industry is driving a new era of space exploration and commercialization. The MAPP rover will also be a key component in demonstrating Nokia’s Lunar Surface Communications System (LSCS), which in collaboration with Intuitive Machines and NASA, will establish the first cellular network on the Moon.

“Lunar Voyage 1 is not just about exploration—it’s about proving that private industry can operate, sustain, and create economic value on the Moon,” said Justin Cyrus, CEO of Lunar Outpost. “These historic accomplishments create real-world lunar infrastructure, resource utilization, and planetary mobility—essential steps toward a lasting human presence beyond Earth.”

Mission Milestones
Lunar Voyage 1 will achieve a series of historic firsts, including:

The first rover at the lunar South Pole region
The first commercial rover on another planetary body
The first commercial sale of space resources in human history
The first American robotic rover on the lunar surface
Carrying pioneering commercial and scientific payloads from leading global partners

Shortly after landing, Lunar Outpost and its mission partners will begin transmitting the first images, data, and discoveries from the Moon’s surface over Nokia’s LSCS using a device module integrated in the MAPP rover. This information will continue to be shared, logged, and captured, providing key insights into lunar mobility, resource collection, and the potential for sustained human presence on the Moon.

Establishing a Commercial Space Economy
Lunar Voyage 1 marks a significant milestone for space commerce: the sale of lunar resources to NASA. This small, but historic transaction with NASA demonstrates that space resources have real economic value, setting a precedent for future commercial activities on the Moon. By pioneering the commercial extraction and sale of lunar resources, Lunar Outpost is enabling a new market for space commodities that can support long-term human operations in space.

“For the first time, a company—not just a government—will extract and sell resources from another planetary body,” Cyrus added. “This transaction will set the precedent for all future space resource sales and usher in a viable cislunar economy.”

Demystifying the Lunar South Pole
The Lunar South Pole is one of the most strategically and scientifically significant locations in space. Its permanently shadowed craters are believed to contain water ice deposits, a critical resource for producing fuel, oxygen, and drinking water. Establishing mobility infrastructure in this area is essential for future Artemis missions, enabling sustainable lunar operations and laying the groundwork for missions to Mars.

Key Collaborators
Lunar Outpost is joined by a high-profile lineup of mission partners, demonstrating the growing commercial and scientific interest in lunar exploration. These collaborators include:

NASA – Purchasing the first commercially collected lunar regolith, establishing the legal and economic framework for space resource utilization.
Nokia – In collaboration with Lunar Outpost and Intuitive Machines, Nokia is demonstrating the first-ever cellular network on the Moon as part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Tipping Point initiative. A device module on the MAPP Rover will connect to the network deployed on the Intuitive Machines Athena lander utilizing Nokia’s LSCS.
MIT – Contributing three scientific payloads, including a Time-of-Flight Depth Camera for 3D mapping and an AstroAnt robotic swarm prototype.

Castrol – As the lead collaborator for Lunar Outpost’s Mission Control, Castrol is providing advanced space-grade lubricants for the MIT AstroAnt robotic payload, ensuring critical performance in extreme lunar conditions.

LunarCrush – Launching the first-ever interplanetary treasure hunt, embedding a Bitcoin private key and NFTs on the rover.
Juventus and adidas – As mission partners, Juventus Football Club, one of the most popular and awarded football clubs in the world, and adidas, a global leader in sporting goods, are set to make history as the first professional sports organizations to join forces in an exploration on the Moon.

Watch the Mission Live
Lunar Outpost will host a live-streamed broadcast of both the launch from Kennedy Space Center and the landing on the lunar surface, providing real-time updates and expert commentary. Follow along at:

Website: lunaroutpost.com
X (Twitter): @LunarOutpostInc
YouTube: Lunar Outpost Channel
Instagram: @thelunaroutpost
Lunar Voyage 1 Landing Page: https://www.lunaroutpost.com/lunar-voyage-1

About Lunar Outpost
Lunar Outpost is a pioneer in planetary mobility and space resource utilization, developing advanced robotic systems for extreme environments. From enabling the first commercial rover on the Moon to supporting NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle program, Lunar Outpost is leading the way toward sustainable lunar infrastructure and a cislunar economy. With multiple missions fully contracted, the company is helping shape the future of space as an extension of the global economy.

For more information, visit lunaroutpost.com.

Media Contact
LaunchSquad for Lunar Outpost
lo@launchsquad.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ffb034b0-8eb0-44da-93c0-fb6a944345d9