Voyager Technologies’ Griffin-1 lunar lander has completed a series of environmental tests at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, NASA said Oct. 13, 2026. The tests were designed to assess whether the spacecraft can withstand launch and conditions in space.
NASA said testing included vibration, acoustic, electromagnetic compatibility and thermal-vacuum evaluations. In the thermal-vacuum chamber, the lander was exposed to temperatures ranging from 167 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 148 degrees Fahrenheit. NASA described the results as showing the spacecraft is ready for the next stage, but the mission has not yet launched.
Griffin-1 has returned to Voyager Lunar Systems’ facility for final assembly. NASA said it is expected to launch later this year on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket as part of the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. The lander is slated to carry cargo and science and technology demonstrations to Nobile Crater near the Moon’s south pole.
The payload includes Astrolab’s FLIP rover, according to NASA. Launch-readiness operations and shipment to Cape Canaveral are the next steps identified by the agency. The stated launch timing is a plan, not confirmation of a launch date.
