CubeRover
CubeRover is a class of small, modular lunar surface rover developed by Astrobotic Technology in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, available in 2U, 4U, and 6U form factors with masses as light as approximately 4 kg. CubeRover-1 completed acceptance testing in June 2025 and is designated as flight-ready for the Griffin Mission One, scheduled to launch in late 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy to the lunar south pole.
Overview and Use Cases
CubeRover is a modular lunar surface rover platform developed by Astrobotic Technology, headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University. The product represents 16 years of development effort, supported by 37 contracts and over $20 million in cumulative funding. CubeRover is designed for scientific investigation and operational tasks on the lunar surface, with the BEACON mission planned as its first lunar operational demonstration.
Key Capabilities
- Navigation and Control: Primary navigation mode is teleoperated with autonomous safeguards; equipped with visual-inertial navigation system
- Mission Control: Operated via the Spacefarer™ Mission Control platform for real-time commanding
- Autonomous Features: Autonomous docking and GPS-denied navigation capabilities are in development through a NASA Tipping Point-funded partnership with Bosch
- Power System: Provides 0.5 W continuous power per kilogram of payload; wireless charging capability under development via separate NASA Tipping Point contract to extend lunar night endurance
Specifications
- Form Factors: Available in 2U, 4U, and 6U configurations
- Mass: Starting at approximately 4 kg
- Payload Power Delivery: 0.5 W continuous per kg of payload
- Lander Integration: Compatible with Griffin lander platform
- Structural Design: Aluminum isogrid construction
Applications
CubeRover is designed for deployment on the lunar surface via commercial lunar lander missions. The platform supports scientific research, operational testing, and cargo delivery to the Moon.
Manufacturer
Astrobotic Technology, based in Pittsburgh, PA, develops the CubeRover line in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University. The company offers payload delivery services to the lunar surface at a service rate of $4.5 million per kilogram of payload delivered via CubeRover. Astrobotic's Griffin lander platform provides payload capacity of 625–650 kg, into which CubeRover systems integrate.
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