NASA has provided a progress update on the crewed and robotic surface vehicles that will operate at the Moon base the agency is building. These rovers are set to play a crucial role during the early phases of the project, with tasks ranging from technology demonstrations and astronaut transport to terrain mapping, scientific investigations and resource prospecting.

Data gathered by these early missions will inform the design of future mobility systems and the infrastructure astronauts will need to live and work on the Moon. The information collected on the surface will be key to scaling exploration capabilities beyond the initial demonstrations.

The lunar rover programme forms part of NASA's broader effort to establish a sustained presence on the Moon, an objective that also includes preparing for future missions to Mars. The agency continues to advance the development of these systems within its roadmap for lunar exploration.