As of 16 October 2026, Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines and Voyager Technologies are the principal commercial providers in NASA’s current Moon Base lander plan. Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance is the clearest precision-landing demonstration: NASA says it will attempt the Shackleton Connecting Ridge landing while testing autonomous guidance, navigation and control (GNC) and cryogenic propulsion. Voyager, Firefly and Intuitive Machines are also advancing the navigation, autonomy, mapping, communications and repeatable-delivery capabilities that make precision landings practical. Astrobotic has two additional NASA deliveries planned for late 2028, but those awards do not by themselves establish a dedicated precision-landing demonstration.
What counts as a precision-landing demonstration?
A precision landing is more than reaching the Moon. The lander must navigate to a constrained site, identify hazards, control its descent autonomously or with limited intervention, and touch down within a defined area. South-pole terrain, permanently shadowed regions, steep slopes and uncertain surface properties make that task harder than a broad, low-risk landing zone.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The companies below are pursuing different parts of that problem. Blue Origin has the most explicit end-to-end precision objective. Voyager is flying mapping, ranging and infrastructure payloads that support accurate navigation and future surface operations. Firefly is emphasizing repeatable autonomous commercial delivery, while Intuitive Machines is building a cadence of Nova missions tied to lunar communications and navigation infrastructure.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsCompany and mission comparison
| Company and lander | Planned target and timing | Precision and autonomy focus | Hardware, payloads and infrastructure | Schedule status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Origin — Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance | Lunar South Pole; Shackleton Connecting Ridge attempt | Explicit precision-landing technology demonstration; autonomous GNC and cryogenic-propulsion testing | NASA SCALPSS plume-imaging investigation and a Laser Retroreflector Array | Planned; launch and landing dates can change |
| Voyager Technologies — Griffin-1 | South Pole region; launch planned for late 2026 | Lunar LiDAR Demonstration for three-dimensional mapping that can support navigation and landing-site operations | Two Laser Retroreflector Arrays and the LDES dust sensor; infrastructure-class delivery | Planned; NASA says the lander is undergoing environmental testing |
| Firefly Aerospace — Blue Ghost series | Mission 2 in 2026 to the lunar far side; Mission 3 to the Gruithuisen Domes in 2028; fourth CLPS mission to the South Pole region in 2029 | Repeatable autonomous commercial delivery, using proven systems from the successful 2025 mission | Elytra orbital vehicle plus a lunar lander on Mission 2; design reuse intended to reduce risk | All dates are planned or targeted |
| Intuitive Machines — Nova-C and Nova-D | IM-3 to Reiner Gamma with the Altus-1 relay satellite; IM-5 targets Mons Malapert near the South Pole; larger Nova-D mission planned under a 2026 NASA award | Autonomous operations developed through successive Nova missions; communications, navigation and infrastructure objectives | Nova-C landing cadence, Altus-1 lunar relay and larger Nova-D architecture | Planned; mission sequencing and dates may change |
| Astrobotic — later NASA deliveries | Two NASA deliveries scheduled for late 2028 | Not described by NASA as a standalone precision-landing demonstration | Updated versions of lander designs that have already flown, intended to improve cadence and reliability | Planned award; delivery dates remain targets |
Blue Origin: the clearest direct precision-landing test
Endurance’s Shackleton Connecting Ridge attempt
NASA says Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance will travel to the lunar South Pole and attempt a landing at the Shackleton Connecting Ridge. Selecting that site makes the mission a direct test of landing accuracy in a difficult polar environment rather than a demonstration at an unspecified location.
#1 Best Overall
- Features a detailed Eagle lunar lander replica with lunar surface, crater, footprints, and U.S. flag for a realistic space experience.
- This modular set includes a descent stage with gold-colored landing pads, panels, opening camera, laser hatches, and movable ladder.
- The ascent stage boasts a detailed interior with room for 2 astronaut minifigures, finished with an Apollo 11 Lunar Lander nameplate.
- This collector building set includes 2 astronaut minifigures with N.A.S.A decoration and golden helmets.
- This building model makes a great centerpiece for home or office, providing a challenging and rewarding building experience for adults.
Autonomous GNC and cryogenic propulsion
Endurance is intended to demonstrate autonomous guidance, navigation and control alongside cryogenic propulsion. Those systems must determine the vehicle’s position, steer it toward the selected landing area and manage the final descent without relying on continuous Earth-based commands. NASA’s SCALPSS instrument will image the interaction between the descent plume and the surface, while a Laser Retroreflector Array can support future lunar ranging.
Voyager: mapping and infrastructure for accurate operations
Griffin-1’s polar delivery
Voyager Technologies’ Griffin-1 is an infrastructure-class lander planned for launch in late 2026 to the lunar South Pole region. NASA reports that the vehicle is undergoing environmental testing, so this remains a planned mission—not a completed precision landing.
LiDAR, retroreflectors and dust sensing
The Lunar LiDAR Demonstration will create three-dimensional maps. Detailed ranging data can help characterize terrain for navigation and later landing-site operations, especially where shadows and uneven topography complicate optical navigation. Griffin-1 will also carry two Laser Retroreflector Arrays and the LDES dust sensor. These payloads make the mission relevant to precision-landing infrastructure even though NASA does not characterize Griffin-1 as an explicit precision-landing demonstration in the same way as Endurance.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #2
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs
- APOLLO CSM – 3.5 Sheet Model with a challenging difficulty level. Assembled Size: 5.07 L x 2.28 W x 3.45 H inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all
Firefly: repeatability as the main technology objective
Blue Ghost Mission 2 and the lunar far side
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 2 is planned for 2026 and is intended to make the first American landing on the lunar far side. The mission combines the Elytra orbital vehicle with a lunar lander. NASA says Firefly is reusing proven systems from its successful 2025 mission to support repeatable commercial delivery and reduce risk.
Building a delivery cadence
Firefly’s third mission targets the Gruithuisen Domes in 2028, followed by a fourth CLPS mission targeted for the South Pole region in 2029. The company’s differentiator is not a single named precision-landing experiment; it is the attempt to make autonomous delivery repeatable across different destinations, including the far side and polar terrain. Each date is a target and can move as testing, launch availability and payload readiness change.
Intuitive Machines: Nova missions tied to lunar networks
Nova-C landing sequence
NASA describes Intuitive Machines’ IM-3 as the third Nova-C landing, headed to Reiner Gamma with the Altus-1 lunar relay satellite. The sequence builds operational experience through multiple landings rather than treating one flight as the sole precision demonstration.
Rank #3
- The Aries 1B is a fictional spacecraft seen in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- It is a spherical lunar lander built for providing regular passenger commuting between Earth's orbit and the Moon, just as the Orion III spaceplane (also operated by Pan Am) provided for travel between the Earth and Space Station V.
- It is nuclear powered, the high performance of its engines allowing it to make a fast transfer to the moon (at about one day, compared to three days which were necessary for Apollo).
- It also carries a retractable landing gear.
- Model size is about 14" by 14" tall and is 1/48 scale.
IM-5 and the South Pole
IM-5 targets Mons Malapert near the lunar South Pole and is intended to support communications, navigation and broader infrastructure objectives. Those capabilities can make later precision landings more achievable by improving the information available to vehicles and surface teams.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Nova-D award
In March 2026, Intuitive Machines reported a $180.4 million NASA award for a larger Nova-D lander mission. The company said IM-3, IM-4 and IM-5 incorporate lessons from earlier missions. The award value is the contract figure announced by the company; it is not a guarantee that every planned mission will launch on its original schedule.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Astrobotic’s late-2028 additions
NASA’s June 2026 award announcement selected Astrobotic for two late-2028 deliveries, alongside one Firefly and one Intuitive Machines delivery. The Astrobotic awards total $297.9 million and use updated versions of lander designs that have already flown. NASA says the updates are intended to improve mission cadence and reliability. The awards establish planned deliveries, not proof that Astrobotic has completed a new precision-landing demonstration.
Rank #4
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs
- APOLLO LUNAR MODULE – 2 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Once assembled, dimensions are 2.34 x 2.34 x 2.15 inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all
How the NASA Moon Base awards fit together
NASA put the four late-2028 Moon Base missions at nearly $600 million in total: $297.9 million for Astrobotic’s two deliveries, $144.2 million for a Firefly Aerospace delivery and $148.3 million for an Intuitive Machines delivery. The agency says Phase I of its Moon Base architecture plan calls for more than twenty robotic landings through 2029.
NASA associate administrator Lori Glaze said the awards “demonstrate our commitment to accelerating our effort to build a long-term presence on the lunar surface” and provide more opportunities to develop the skills needed for sustained lunar operations. In that architecture, precision landing is one capability among several: reliable delivery, surface mapping, communications, navigation, dust characterization and payload operations all have to work together.
Quick Recap
Which company is demonstrating what?
- Most explicit precision-landing objective: Blue Origin’s Endurance, with the Shackleton Connecting Ridge attempt and autonomous GNC demonstration.
- Strongest mapping and navigation support: Voyager’s Griffin-1, through lunar LiDAR, retroreflectors and dust sensing.
- Best example of repeatability as the goal: Firefly’s Blue Ghost series, which reuses proven systems across far-side, dome and polar missions.
- Broadest communications and navigation infrastructure emphasis: Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C and Nova-D plans, including the Altus-1 relay and the Mons Malapert objective.
- Additional planned delivery capacity: Astrobotic’s two late-2028 NASA missions, which focus on updated flown designs and reliability rather than a separately announced precision-landing experiment.
What to watch before treating a landing as confirmed
- Check whether NASA or the company still labels the launch and landing date as planned or targeted.
- Look for completion of environmental, propulsion and integrated navigation testing, not just a contract announcement.
- Separate an explicit precision-landing objective from payloads that enable future navigation or infrastructure.
- Verify the actual landing result and payload performance after the mission; an award or schedule is not evidence of a completed demonstration.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
