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About Featured Expert: Astrobotic Technology, Inc.

Astrobotic Technology, Inc. is a privately held U.S. aerospace company developing robotic space systems with a primary focus on lunar surface access, payload delivery, and mission support technologies. The company was founded in 2007 by roboticist Red Whittaker and his associates with roots in Carnegie Mellon University robotics research. It is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and operates within the commercial lunar exploration segment of the space industry.

Astrobotic’s work centers on designing and building spacecraft and supporting technologies intended to deliver science instruments, technology demonstrations, and other payloads to the Moon. Its spacecraft family includes lunar landers such as Peregrine and larger vehicles like Griffin, which are being developed to support NASA science and exploration objectives as well as commercial and institutional missions. The company also develops associated navigation, hazard detection, and autonomy technologies necessary for precision lunar landing and surface operations.

Under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, Astrobotic is a contracted provider of end-to-end lunar delivery services. It was among the early companies selected to compete for CLPS task orders and has been awarded multiple contracts for payload delivery to the lunar surface. In January 2024, Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander launched as part of the CLPS program carrying NASA and international payloads bound for the Moon. Although that mission did not achieve a lunar landing, it represented the first commercial CLPS launch to the Moon. Astrobotic is preparing subsequent missions, including flights using its Griffin lander to deliver science and exploration payloads under the CLPS framework.

Astrobotic’s engineering efforts also encompass terrain-relative navigation, LiDAR-based hazard detection, and mission autonomy software intended to support safe and precise landings in complex lunar environments. These systems are developed to meet the requirements of lunar surface access for both government and non-governmental payloads and reflect broader commercial demand for reliable planetary delivery services.

The company serves a range of customers, including NASA, international space agencies, universities, research organizations, and commercial partners seeking to place instruments on the Moon. Its portfolio of missions and technology demonstrations contributes to the expanding commercial role in lunar exploration and to lunar science objectives aligned with broader exploration programs. To learn more, please click here.

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