Astrobotic has been selected to build the wheels for a driveable lunar habitat planned by the Italian Space Agency, the company announced on Friday.
The Pittsburgh-based firm secured a contract of undisclosed value from Thales Alenia Space to contribute wheel systems for Italy’s Multi-Purpose Habitation (MPH) lunar project.
Astrobotic said the wheels will be designed to be lightweight and flexible, helping reduce launch mass while enabling the mobile habitat to navigate the uneven terrain of the Moon. The company plans to build on technology originally developed for its Astrobotic Mobility Platform, scaling the design into a larger tire capable of supporting a planned 10-year lunar mission.
“This program highlights the strength of international cooperation in lunar exploration,” an Astrobotic spokesperson said. “By combining Astrobotic’s experience in lunar mobility with Thales Alenia Space Italia’s leadership in habitation systems, we are contributing to a shared vision for long-duration operations on the Moon.”
Astrobotic has been actively involved in lunar exploration initiatives supported by NASA, including multiple contracts under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
The company launched its first CLPS mission in January 2024, but a propulsion issue after launch prevented the spacecraft from reaching the Moon, causing the lander to reenter Earth’s atmosphere.
Astrobotic is now preparing for its next mission, Griffin Mission-1, which will carry the FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform rover to the lunar south pole. The mission is expected to launch no earlier than July.
