NASA awards $590.4 million for four lunar lander missions

NASA has awarded nearly $600 million to three U.S. companies for four robotic missions to the Moon, a major step in building the infrastructure for a permanent lunar outpost. The agency announced the selection of Astrobotic Technology, Firefly Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, for lander missions scheduled for late 2028.

The combined value of the awards is $590.4 million. Astrobotic received $297.9 million for two flights of its Peregrine lander. Firefly Aerospace was awarded $144.2 million for one mission of its Blue Ghost lander, and Intuitive Machines won a $148.3 million order for its Nova-C lander. Each company will use updated versions of their existing lander designs.

Every mission will carry an identical suite of three NASA science instruments designed to support future human exploration. The Stereo Camera for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS) will capture 3D imagery of how rocket exhaust disturbs lunar dust during landing. A Laser Retroreflector Array will serve as a permanent, maintenance-free navigation marker. The Linear Energy Transfer Spectrometer (LETS) will measure radiation levels during transit and on the lunar surface.