Although Starship The rocket has yet to make its maiden flight, but SpaceX has no customers.Earlier a company named Astrolabe of startups have signed deals with SpaceX to secure a spot on Starship’s uncrewed mission, which is expected to launch as early as mid-2026. “This is SpaceX’s first commercial cargo contract to go to the lunar surface,” Astrolab CEO Jaret Matthews toldNew York TimesAt the same time, he also revealed that besides his own company, there are other customers who will participate in this mission.
Astrolab is currently developing a vehicle called FLEX (Flexible Logistics and Exploration), which will be regarding the size of an SUV and equipped with a robotic arm that can be used for cargo handling. The maximum speed of FLEX can reach almost 24 kilometers per hour. While loading equipment and supplies, it can also be used by up to two astronauts. According to Astrolab, once it successfully lands on the moon, FLEX will become the largest rover on the lunar surface, and there are already customers who want Astrolab to use FLEX to deliver goods in Starship in 2026.
“Ultimately our goal is to have fleets of rovers on both the moon and Mars,” Matthews said, “and I really believe that these vehicles can eventually be catalysts for the extraterrestrial economy.”
