Astrobotic Technology, Inc.¶
Investigated: 2026-04-05 (Session 2); updated Session 5 (2026-04-06) — added second FO project [93996] Last updated: 2026-04-07 (Session 84) — LunaGrid-Lite added to Griffin-1 payload story; ASICS SBIR Phase II (Feb 2026); employee count revised to ~275; Peregrine post-mission report confirmed closed Aug 2024
Summary¶
Astrobotic has two FO projects: 91338 (canceled, precision navigation, 2015–2017) and 93996 (completed, Autolanding System, 2013–2016). The earlier completed project ([93996]) directly developed the Autolanding System (AAS) that formed the core of Astrobotic's lunar landing technology. The later FO project ([91338]) was canceled. The company went on to win $498M+ in NASA CLPS contracts. Mission execution has been mixed: Peregrine Mission 1 failed (Jan 2024), VIPER cancelled (Jul 2024, then reassigned to Blue Origin Sep 2025).
Outcome category: Major commercial contracts ($561M+ NASA tracked), mission execution mixed. FO [93996] directly developed core AAS technology; FO [91338] cancellation appears unrelated to subsequent success/failure. Peregrine Mission 1 (January 2024) failed due to propellant valve (post-mission report closed Aug 2024). VIPER rover ($314M) cancelled by NASA in July 2024, reassigned to Blue Origin (Sep 2025, CS-7 $190M — delivery option still unexercised pending Blue Moon first flight). Griffin-1 NET July 2026 with Astrolab FLIP rover, CubeRover BEACON, and LunaGrid-Lite ($34.6M lunar power demo, passed CDR Aug 2025). Company headcount ~275. Xodiac VTVL lost May 2025; three successor vehicles under active development with $17.5M+ in contracts. ASICS space computing SBIR Phase II awarded Feb 2026.
FO Projects¶
Project 93996 — Autolanding for Robotic Precursor Missions¶
- Period: 2013-12-01 to 2016-12-31
- Status: Completed
- TRL: 4 → 6 (+2 gain)
- Program: FO
- PI: Kevin Peterson; Co-I: William "Red" Whittaker (CMU Robotics Institute founder)
- Test vehicle: Masten Xaero VTVL platform
- Description: Matured Astrobotic's Autolanding System (AAS) — GPS-denied navigation with higher precision, lower cost, and easier mission integration than alternatives. Goal: land autonomously within 100m radius while sensing and avoiding hazards ≥25cm using LIDAR and vision sensors.
- Outcome: TRL4→6. Demonstrated AAS on Masten Xaero. This is the technical foundation for Peregrine's and Griffin's landing systems.
- Connection: The AAS matured here became Astrobotic's core landing technology. USASpending [80LARC19C0008] ($7.97M, 2019–2024: "TRL9 Terrain Relative Navigation and Visual Velocimetry Sensor product") is the continuation of this work toward flight readiness.
- Note: Used Masten Xaero as test vehicle — predates Masten's acquisition by Astrobotic (2022). Cross-reference: masten-space-systems.md.
Project 91338 — Demonstration of One-Fault Tolerant Precision Navigation for Autolanding Airless Bodies: Flight Two¶
- Period: 2015-04-24 to 2017-07-12
- Status: CANCELED
- TRL: 5 → 5 (no gain)
- Program: FO
- PI: Steven Huber
- Description: "No information available" (empty TechPort record)
- Outcome: Canceled | 2017-07-12
Note the title says "Flight Two" — implying a "Flight One" occurred (different project). The precision navigation technology was presumably developed through other means when FO was cancelled.
Post-FO Trajectory¶
Astrobotic became a major NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) contractor, completely independent of FO work:
2017: FO project canceled
2019: CLPS contract — Peregrine Mission 1 ($100.18M, Peregrine lander)
2020: VIPER delivery contract ($314.01M)
2021-2023: Many parallel SBIR, tech development contracts
2024-01-08: Peregrine Mission 1 launch (Vulcan Centaur maiden flight)
2024-01-08: Propellant leak develops shortly after lander separation
2024-01-18: Peregrine burns up in South Pacific (redirected to safe reentry)
2024-07-17: NASA cancels VIPER mission (cost overrun, Griffin lander reliability concerns)
2025-05: Xodiac VTVL lost on flight 176
2025-06: CubeRover-1 (BEACON) completes acceptance testing — flight-ready
2025-07: MoonRanger reassigned to Firefly Blue Ghost 4 ($176.7M, targeting 2029)
2025-09: NASA selects Blue Origin to carry VIPER (CS-7, $190M formalized Dec 2025)
2025-09: Andøya Space (Norway) agreement — first US reusable launcher in Europe
2025-08: LunaGrid-Lite ($34.6M NASA lunar power demo) passes CDR — flight component fabrication begins
2025-10: Griffin-1 delayed from fall 2025 to NET July 2026
2026-07: Griffin-1 launch scheduled (Falcon Heavy, LC-39A) — payloads: Astrolab FLIP rover (primary), CubeRover-1 BEACON, LunaGrid-Lite (500m cable, 1kW power transmission demo)
Note on VIPER cancellation: NASA spent ~$450M of $610M planned cost before cancellation. VIPER was fully assembled and in final testing. Cost grew >30% above commitment. Cancellation was fiscal/schedule, not technical. Blue Origin CS-7 task order ($190M) awarded September 19, 2025. Structure: base task covers payload accommodation design + offload demonstration; option to deliver VIPER to south pole is contingent on Blue Origin completing base task review AND flying the first Blue Moon MK1 lander. Delivery option not yet exercised as of April 2026. Target: late 2027 surface delivery.
Note on Peregrine failure: Post-mission report published August 2024 (21 pages, independent board chaired by Dr. John Horack, Ohio State). Root cause: helium pressure control valve PCV2 failed to reseat due to vibration-induced loosening of threaded joint and O-ring damage → uncontrolled helium flow → oxidizer tank over-pressurized and ruptured. Corrective actions: redesign primary PCVs, incorporate multiple dissimilar PCVs in future landers, enhance supplier quality oversight. First CLPS mission to fail. Investigation closed.
Note on Xodiac successors: Three-vehicle program replacing lost Xodiac: - Xodiac-C ($1.6M SBIR Phase III, 80NSSC25C0503): EDL technology testing. Target: service late 2026. - Xodiac-B ($1.9M AFRL SBIR): Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) testbed. Target: flight demo early 2027. - Xogdor Block 1B ($14M SBIR Phase III, 80NSSC25C0504): Supersonic, >100km altitude, microgravity and Mars EDL testing. Target: 2028.
Note on CubeRover BEACON: CubeRover-1 flight-ready as of June 2025 — thermal-vacuum and EMI/EMC testing complete. Will ride Griffin-1 to Nobile Crater, drive into Griffin's shadow, collect thermal data. First in-situ mobility test of lightweight lunar surface trafficability.
Note on MoonRanger: Originally manifested on Masten (bankrupt 2022). Reassigned July 2025 to Firefly Blue Ghost 4, targeting Haworth Crater rim (south pole), 2029. Astrobotic remains prime contractor under existing $7.48M contract.
USASpending Portfolio (Selected — NASA)¶
| Award ID | Amount | Description | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80JSC020F0220 | $314.01M | VIPER delivery | 2020–2026 |
| 80JSC019F0164 | $100.18M | CLPS Peregrine Mission 1 | 2019–2024 |
| 80NSSC25C0504 | $14.00M | SBIR Phase III XOGDOR vehicle | 2025–2029 |
| 80LARC19C0008 | $7.97M | TRL9 Terrain Relative Navigation (lunar) | 2019–2024 |
| 80MSFC20C0008 | $7.48M | MoonRanger rover development | 2019–2028 |
| 80AFRC23CA016 | $7.32M | FO flight demo reusable suborbital lander | 2023–2028 |
| 80LARC21CA007 | $6.56M | Lunar Vertical Solar Array Technology | 2021–2024 |
| 80LARC21CA001 | $5.64M | Ultra-fast proximity wireless charging | 2021–2025 |
| 80NSSC22CA231 | $5.00M | SBIR Phase II lunar night survival + comms | 2022–2026 |
| 80NSSC25C0435 | $4.00M | LaserNav LIDAR dark navigation (lunar) | 2025–2027 |
| 80NSSC25C0503 | $1.60M | SBIR Phase III Xodiac-C vehicle | 2025–2026 |
| 80NSSC25CA014 | $1.56M | SBIR CCRPP CubeRover lunar science | 2025–2027 |
| 80NSSC25C0032 | $849.7K | SBIR Phase II VSAT-XL solar array | 2025–2027 |
| 80NSSC25CA003 | $849.7K | SBIR Phase II photon counting debris sensor | 2024–2026 |
| 80JSC025F7055 | $588.1K | CX-1 CLPS trade study — mid-sized lander | Jul–Sep 2025 |
| 80NSSC26C0001 | $840.3K | SBIR Phase II ASICS — Adaptable, Scalable, Intelligent Computing for Space | 2026–2028 |
| 80NSSC25C0146 | $149.9K | SBIR Phase I Clavius-S lunar surface sensor | 2025–2026 |
| + many more | ~$40M | Rover tech, ISRU, sensors, SBIR | various |
Estimated total tracked: ~$561M NASA (including $34.6M LunaGrid-Lite); also ~$15M DoD (Air Force + MDA)
Key DoD awards: $3.16M (Clavius Space Domain Awareness, 2023–2026), $3M (AF SBIR II RDRE propulsion, FA930025C6014, 2025), $1.9M (Xodiac-B RDRE testbed, FA930025C6014, 2025–2027), $1.73M (Space Domain Awareness, 2023), $500 initial (MDA SHIELD IDIQ, HQ085926FE723, Dec 2025–2035).
Notable — CX-1 CLPS trade study: NASA paid Astrobotic $588K (Jul–Sep 2025) to assess a mid-sized lander capability. This suggests NASA is scoping a third Astrobotic lander class between Peregrine (decommissioned) and Griffin, or evaluating Astrobotic for future CLPS task orders.
Andøya Space Agreement (Sep 2025): Astrobotic signed a term sheet with Andøya Spaceport, Norway, for Xodiac launch campaigns starting 2026. First US reusable launcher to operate from continental Europe.
Precision Navigation Technology¶
The canceled FO project was specifically about "one-fault tolerant precision navigation for autolanding airless bodies." Notably:
- USASpending shows 80LARC19C0008 ($7.97M, 2019–2024): "work delivers a TRL9 Terrain Relative Navigation and Visual Velocimetry Sensor product by demonstrating the TRN sensor operation on a lunar lander mission" — this is clearly the same technology thread, continued through SBIR and other mechanisms.
- The Peregrine lander was equipped with advanced navigation sensors — the FO work may have contributed technically even though the specific FO contract was canceled.
- Confidence: speculative (no direct evidence linking canceled FO project to Peregrine navigation system).
Pattern: Canceled FO ≠ Failed Company¶
This is the second major example (after Busek) of: 1. FO project gets canceled 2. Company continues with other NASA funding 3. Company wins major contracts unrelated to FO
The $314M VIPER + $100M CLPS = $414M in NASA contracts with no apparent FO lineage. Astrobotic's lunar landing capabilities were built through Robotics Institute (CMU origin), CLPS development contracts, and SBIR — not FO.
What the canceled FO project reveals: In 2015–2017, Astrobotic was still a startup experimenting with suborbital flight demonstrations. The FO cancellation may have redirected effort toward CLPS preparation, which was the bigger opportunity.
Confidence Assessment¶
| Claim | Confidence | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| FO project canceled 2017 | confirmed | TechPort outcome field |
| Astrobotic won $414M+ CLPS contracts | confirmed | USASpending |
| Peregrine Mission 1 failed Jan 2024 | confirmed | Multiple news sources |
| VIPER cancelled July 2024 | confirmed | NASA press release |
| VIPER revived under Blue Origin (Sep 2025), delivery option unexercised | confirmed | NASA announcement; delivery contingent on Blue Moon first flight |
| FO technology contributed to CLPS navigation | speculative | No direct evidence |
| Griffin-1 NET July 2026 | confirmed | SpaceNews, Spaceflight Now (Oct 2025) |
| Workforce ~275 | suggestive | Company profile; revised up from earlier ~211 estimate |
| CubeRover BEACON flight-ready | confirmed | Astrobotic press release (Jun 2025) |
| MoonRanger on Firefly BG4 (2029) | confirmed | CMU + NASA announcement (Jul 2025) |
| CX-1 trade study for mid-sized lander | confirmed | USASpending 80JSC025F7055 |
| ~$28.5M new 2025 contracts + $840K ASICS 2026 | confirmed | USASpending |
| LunaGrid-Lite ($34.6M) on Griffin-1 | confirmed | Astrobotic press, CDR Aug 2025 |
| Peregrine post-mission report closed Aug 2024 | confirmed | Astrobotic published report |
Open Threads¶
- Griffin-1 (July 2026): Will Astrobotic's second CLPS mission succeed where Peregrine failed? This is existential for the company.
- CX-1: Is NASA scoping a new Astrobotic lander class, or was this a one-off study?
- Andøya: Will Xodiac actually operate from Norway, or is the agreement aspirational?
- VIPER $314M de-obligation: How much of the original VIPER contract has been de-obligated? Material financial uncertainty.