California-based Astrolab has leased space in the Texas A&M University Space Institute, which is under construction near NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The Space Institute broke ground in November 2024, backed by $200 million of state funding and featuring test beds designed to recreate the surface of the moon and Mars.
The Houston Business Journal reports Astrolab is one of the companies selected by NASA to design its upcoming Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services lunar rover, which is intended to ferry astronauts across the moon’s surface as part of NASA’s Artemis III mission. Astrolab is promising more than 200 people working on its team in Houston by the end of 2026.
Astrolab’s Flexible Logistics & Exploration rover platform is the company’s candidate for its LTV bid. The rover can bring up to 1,600 kilograms and three cubic meters of cargo to the moon’s surface. The platform also includes a robotic arm to specifically place certain payloads.
The Space Institute will be at 100% occupancy when it opens next year.
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