Astrobotic Reveals Griffin-1 Lunar Lander Ahead of Testing

WHO:

Spaceflight Now - John Thornton, CEO of Astrobotic

Spaceflight Now - Carlos García-Galán, NASA’s Program Executive for the Moon Base

Spaceflight Now - Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator

Spaceflight Now - Matt Magaña, Voyager’s President of Defense & National Security

Spaceflight Now - Kelly Randell, Astrolab’s Business Development Manager

WHAT:

Spaceflight Now - Astrobotic showcased its nearly completed lunar lander, Griffin-1.

Spaceflight Now - Griffin-1 has a payload capacity of 650 kg.

Spaceflight Now - The Griffin-1 mission is a follow-up to Astrobotic’s first lunar landing attempt, Peregrine-1, which occurred in January 2024.

Spaceflight Now - The Griffin-1 mission is scheduled to launch onboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Spaceflight Now - The main payload on the Griffin-1 mission is Astrolab’s FLIP rover.

WHERE:

Spaceflight Now - The unveiling event took place at the Moonshot Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Spaceflight Now - Griffin-1 will undergo environmental testing at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

WHEN:

Spaceflight Now - Environmental testing for Griffin-1 is set to occur later this month.

Spaceflight Now - The Griffin-1 mission is scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of 2026.

WHY:

Spaceflight Now - The Griffin-1 mission is considered a crucial stepping stone for NASA's Moon Base program.

Spaceflight Now - The mission aims to help establish permanent infrastructure at the Moon’s south pole.

HOW:

Spaceflight Now - The Griffin lander incorporates lessons learned from the Peregrine-1 mission, including a dual redundant valve system to prevent failures.

Spaceflight Now - The FLIP rover was designed and actualized in about 18 months after NASA's VIPER mission was temporarily canceled in July 2024.

(UPDATED June 16, 2026 14:46 UTC)

Astrobotic has unveiled its nearly completed lunar lander, Griffin-1, at the Moonshot Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, showcasing its impressive payload capacity of 650 kilograms. The Griffin-1 mission, which will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in the fourth quarter of 2026, is a follow-up to Astrobotic’s first lunar landing attempt, Peregrine-1, and aims to support NASA's Moon Base program by establishing permanent infrastructure at the Moon’s south pole. Environmental testing for Griffin-1 is set to take place later this month at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, incorporating lessons learned from previous missions to enhance its reliability.