In late September 2026, Voyager Technologies finished nearly three months of environmental testing on its Griffin-1 lunar lander at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The spacecraft is preparing for a late 2026 launch as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative.
Environmental Testing Details
The Griffin-1 lander underwent thermal vacuum testing in JPL's 25-Foot Space Simulator, alternating between temperatures of up to 167 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius) and minus 148 F (minus 100 C). During testing, a yellow-striped box on top of the lander simulated Astrolab’s FLIP rover payload.
Engineers also subjected the vehicle to electromagnetic interference and electromagnetic compatibility testing, mass properties measurements on a special table, acoustic testing with up to 153 decibels of sound, and vibration testing on a shaker table.
Mission and Next Steps
Following testing at JPL, Griffin-1 was shipped back to Voyager Lunar Systems’ Pittsburgh facility for final assembly. Part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative within the Moon Base Program, the lander is expected to launch in late 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
The infrastructure-class lander will deliver more than 1,100 pounds (455 kilograms) of cargo, consisting of 10 payloads from six countries, to Nobile Crater near the lunar South Pole.
Key facts and where they come from
- Voyager Technologies completed nearly three months of environmental testing on the Griffin-1 lunar lander at NASA JPL.
A lunar lander from Voyager Technologies completed nearly three months of environmental testing at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California in late September 2026.
- Griffin-1 is expected to launch in late 2026 on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
Griffin-1 is expected to launch in late 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
- The lander will deliver over 1,100 pounds of cargo to Nobile Crater near the lunar South Pole.
The infrastructure-class lander will deliver more than 1,100 pounds (455 kilograms) of cargo — 10 payloads from six countries — to Nobile Crater near the lunar South Pole.
