Griffin Mission One

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Griffin Mission One
Griffin (Astrobotic).jpg
Artistic Representation of Griffin lander with VIPER on moon surface, VIPER now moved to Blue Moon Pathfinder Mission II.
NamesCLPS TO 20A
Mission type Lunar landing
Operator Astrobotic Technology
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftGriffin
Start of mission
Launch dateJuly 2026 (Planned)
Rocket Falcon Heavy
Launch site KSC, LC-39A
End of mission
Decay date
Moon lander
Landing dateTBA

Griffin Mission One (also referred to as Griffin-1) is a lunar lander mission developed by Astrobotic Technology as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The mission aims to deliver a suite of scientific, technological, and cultural payloads to the Moon's South Pole, specifically targeting the Nobile Crater region near Mons Mouton. Scheduled for launch no earlier than July 2026, Griffin-1 is a key component of NASA's Artemis program, supporting lunar science and exploration for future crewed missions. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Overview

Griffin Mission One is designed to conduct experiments and technology demonstrations focused on lunar resource prospecting, volatile characterization, and surface operations in the rugged terrain of the lunar South Pole. The mission was originally planned to carry NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) [6] , but following its cancellation in July 2024 [7] , the mission was reconfigured with alternative payloads while retaining its CLPS task order.

The mission will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The Griffin lander, a medium-class lunar lander, is equipped with advanced autonomous navigation and hazard avoidance systems, enabling precise landings in challenging environments. [8] [9]

Payloads

Griffin-1 carries a diverse set of payload from NASA, ESA, and from other partners:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "CLPS Flight: Astrobotic's Griffin Mission One - NASA" . Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  2. ↑ "Falcon Heavy | Griffin Mission One". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  3. ↑ "Griffin Lander". Astrobotic. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  4. ↑ Mitchell, Audra (1 October 2024). "Griffin Mission One Ground Testing with NASA's Deep Space Network a Success". Astrobotic. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  5. ↑ Chapla, Alivia (6 February 2025). "Moonbound & Mission Proud: The Griffin-1 Patch is Here!". Astrobotic. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  6. ↑ "Astrobotic wins NASA contract to deliver VIPER lunar rover". SpaceNews. 11 June 2020. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "NASA Ends VIPER Project, Continues Moon Exploration - NASA" . Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "Griffin Lander". Astrobotic. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  9. ↑ "Falcon Heavy | Griffin Mission One". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  10. ↑ Foust, Jeff (5 February 2025). "Astrolab to fly its FLIP lunar rover on Astrobotic's Griffin-1 lander". SpaceNews. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  11. ↑ "Astrolab's FLIP rover joins Astrobotic's Griffin-1 to the Moon – Astrolab". www.astrolab.space. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  12. ↑ Mitchell, Audra (8 April 2024). "Spacefarer & CubeRover Joint Lunar Rover Demonstration on Griffin-1". Astrobotic. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  13. ↑ Chapla, Alivia (27 March 2025). "Astrobotic + Nanofiche Preserving Humanity's Legacy on Griffin-1". Astrobotic. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
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