SpaceX bags another mission for Starship, will launch largest-ever rover to Moon

Venturi Astrolab, on March 31, announced a partnership with SpaceX to launch its FLEX rover to the Moon aboard the Starship megarocket. The California-based firm says the FLEX rover, short for Flexible Logistics and Exploration, will launch to the Moon around mid-2026. The announcement comes over a year after Astrolab introduced a prototype of the FLEX rover which will be 'the largest and most capable rover to ever travel to the Moon.'

Today we announce a launch agreement with @SpaceX - Our FLEX rover is headed to the Moon aboard a Starship landing system as soon as mid-2026.

Once it completes its mission, FLEX will become the largest and most capable rover to ever travel to the 🌕

https://t.co/9FAshQJLPY pic.twitter.com/Cbt07LfM2C

— Astrolab (@Astrolab_Space) March 31, 2023

"Our Astrolab team has created much more than a rover for use on the Moon or Mars,” said Jaret Matthews, Founder and CEO of Astrolab, according to an official release. "We are delighted that this contract with SpaceX will allow Astrolab to demonstrate the advantages of the FLEX rover and its modular payload system." It is worth noting that the timeline (mid-2026) depends on the readiness of Starship, which will be tested multiple times with crew onboard before delivering FLEX to the Moon. The mega-rocket already has big-ticket missions in the pipeline, including three private crewed missions and one for NASA's Artemis mission. In a statement last year, Astrolab said that FLEX will be ready for service when SpaceX touches down on the Moon with its cargo landers.

How is the FLEX rover special?

(FLEX during the testing phase; Image: Venturi Astrolab)

FLEX has a combined rover and cargo mass of more than two tons and it is nearly three times the mass of its largest predecessor, says Astrolab. It is capable of carrying payloads up to 1,500 kilograms, above or below its main deck, and can be controlled either by two astronauts onboard or with a remote. Astrolab has planned to build a fleet of FLEX rovers and the first one to the Moon will facilitate the construction of lunar bases. It also has ambitions to support the establishment of human presence on Mars. 

Having a mass of 500 kg when finished, the rover is being designed to withstand outer space radiation and extremely cold temperatures (as low as -130°C) on the Moon. The rover's testing began last year in the California desert where teams carried out crewed and telerobotic operations. Activities such as the deployment of large payloads, operations using FLEX's robotic arm and traversing challenging terrain are still being carried out. Astrolab says that its rover's design is compatible with NASA’s requirements for its Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) that will be used for exploration during the Artemis program long-term.