Lunar Outpost is among three companies awarded contracts by NASA in April 2024 for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) program, which aims to develop a rover for future Artemis missions.

Each company has been granted a one-year contract to refine their rover designs through a preliminary design review (PDR), after which at least one will be selected for further development.

The first phase of the contract is set to conclude in about six months with the PDR, leading NASA to request proposals from the three companies for the next development phase.

While NASA may only select one company for the next phase due to budget constraints, industry advocates, including Lunar Outpost's CEO Justin Cyrus, are pushing for multiple selections to ensure redundancy.

Cyrus has expressed confidence in continuing the rover's development regardless of NASA's final selection, citing strong commercial interest and available funding opportunities.

The rover's design is compatible with multiple landing systems, providing flexibility and reducing risk during missions.

To enhance the rover's design, the team has conducted human factors testing with NASA astronauts on a prototype to gather valuable feedback.

Lunar Outpost's team includes notable partners such as Leidos, MDA Space, Goodyear, and General Motors; Leidos replaced Lockheed Martin in September 2024 due to an agreement issue.

On November 21, 2024, Lunar Outpost announced that it has selected SpaceX's Starship to transport its Eagle rover to the moon.

Additionally, on November 13, 2024, Lunar Outpost revealed it raised an undisclosed amount in a Series A funding round to further support the Eagle rover's development.

Importantly, the LTV program allows companies to utilize the developed rovers commercially when they are not in use by NASA.

Cyrus also highlighted SpaceX's technological advancements and reliability as key factors in their decision to select Starship for the lunar transport.