A team led by Airbus has been competitively selected by ESA to study the delivery of a payload package on Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander around 2025. The study will analyse Europe’s first mission to demonstrate in-situ resource utilisation on the Moon.

Astrobotic is in charge of showing how the Peregrine lander’s international payload delivery service is best suited to carry this ground-breaking European space resources mission to the Moon. The study team also includes Goonhilly Earth Station Limited of the United Kingdom.

“It’s incredibly exciting for Astrobotic to be selected by ESA,” said Astrobotic CEO John Thornton. “Between our recent win with NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services, our 12 existing mission deals, and now this selection by ESA, it’s clear that Peregrine is the market leading lander service for payload customers around the world.”

“Airbus is thrilled to have Astrobotic as a partner on this ESA contract,” said Dr. Oliver Juckenhöfel, Vice President On-Orbit Services and Exploration of Airbus. “Having independently vetted the Peregrine lander program during multiple technical milestone reviews, we have seen firsthand how Astrobotic is the mature low-cost delivery service of choice for ESA.”

"ESA is not going to the Moon alone and our vision for lunar exploration is based on international partnerships with commercial and industrial organisations. This mission study with Airbus and Astrobotic is a prime example of the new wave of space exploration," said Dr. David Parker, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration at ESA.