Moon Express
Company Information
Headquarters
Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA
Year Founded
2010
Industries
Aerospace, Lunar Exploration, Space Robotics, Lunar Transportation, Space Resources, Planetary Science, Space Infrastructure
What Is Moon Express?
Moon Express is a commercial space technology company known for developing concepts for robotic lunar landers and lunar transportation systems. Its MX spacecraft family was designed to carry scientific instruments, exploration equipment, and commercial payloads to the Moon and other destinations. The company’s technology development included compact spacecraft structures, propulsion systems, autonomous landing, and lunar sample-return architectures. Moon Express was selected for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program in 2018, but no completed lunar mission has been verified, and its recent commercial activity remains uncertain.
What Does Moon Express Do?
Moon Express developed robotic spacecraft concepts for transporting scientific and commercial payloads beyond Earth orbit. Its proposed services included lunar landing, surface exploration, sample collection, and transportation of equipment to lunar destinations.
The company’s spacecraft architecture centered on the MX family of robotic explorers, including the MX-1, MX-2, and MX-9. These vehicles were designed for different mission sizes, ranging from compact lunar exploration to larger payload delivery and sample-return operations.
Moon Express also developed concepts for PECO propulsion systems using kerosene and hydrogen peroxide propellants. The propulsion architecture was intended to support spacecraft maneuvers, powered descent, and lunar landing operations.
Its mission plans included lunar surface characterization, autonomous robotic exploration, and the investigation of resources such as water ice and regolith. These activities were proposed as part of a broader lunar transportation and exploration service.
Although Moon Express secured regulatory approval for a proposed private lunar mission and was selected as an eligible NASA lunar delivery provider, its announced spacecraft missions did not progress to a verified lunar landing or commercial delivery operation.
Moon Express Technology
Moon Express developed concepts for robotic spacecraft capable of transporting payloads from Earth orbit to lunar destinations. Its technology architecture combined spacecraft structures, propulsion, guidance and navigation, communications, and payload accommodation systems.
The company’s primary spacecraft architecture was the MX family of robotic lunar explorers. The vehicles were designed around scalable spacecraft configurations that could support different mission requirements, including lunar landings, scientific payload delivery, and sample-return operations.
The MX-1 Scout Class Explorer was conceived as a compact robotic spacecraft for lunar exploration and payload delivery. Its architecture was intended to support autonomous landing, scientific instruments, and operations near the lunar surface. The vehicle was proposed as the basis for Moon Express’ initial commercial lunar mission.
The MX-2 concept used a two-stage spacecraft configuration for missions requiring additional propulsion capability. Its proposed mission applications included destinations beyond the Moon, such as Venus and the moons of Mars. These capabilities remained part of the company’s design roadmap rather than demonstrated flight operations.
The larger MX-9 Frontier Class Explorer was designed for transporting substantial payloads to the lunar surface. Moon Express described a configuration with nine PECO engines and a proposed delivery capacity of up to 500 kilograms. The spacecraft was also associated with concepts for autonomous sample acquisition and return.
A central element of the architecture was the PECO propulsion system, designed to use RP-1 kerosene and hydrogen peroxide. The proposed propulsion configuration would provide thrust for spacecraft maneuvers and powered landing operations. Public information does not establish that an MX-series spacecraft completed an operational lunar flight using this propulsion system.
Moon Express also investigated autonomous navigation, robotic surface operations, and sample handling. Its proposed exploration architecture included robotic vehicles capable of moving between lunar surface locations and collecting materials for scientific analysis.
The company’s longer-term concepts included lunar resource prospecting and sample-return transportation. These activities would require integration of landing systems, robotic sampling equipment, ascent propulsion, and spacecraft return operations. No completed Moon Express lunar sample-return mission has been verified.
Why Moon Express Matters
Moon Express was among the early private companies proposing commercial robotic transportation to the lunar surface. Its spacecraft concepts explored how smaller, modular vehicles could support scientific investigations and commercial payload delivery beyond Earth orbit.
In 2016, Moon Express received U.S. government authorization for a proposed private lunar mission. This represented an important regulatory milestone for commercial activities beyond traditional Earth orbit, although authorization did not establish that the mission was completed.
Its selection for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program in 2018 reflected the agency’s broader effort to use private companies for lunar transportation. Moon Express was eligible to compete for delivery contracts but was not identified as a recipient of a delivery task order in NASA’s 2024 Inspector General report.
Although the company’s announced lunar missions did not reach operational deployment, its development history illustrates the technical, financial, and regulatory challenges involved in establishing commercial lunar transportation services.
Moon Express Products & Platforms
MX-1 Scout Class Explorer
MX-1 is a compact robotic spacecraft concept developed for lunar landing and exploration missions. Its proposed architecture incorporates propulsion, autonomous guidance, communications, and payload accommodation systems. The spacecraft was designed to transport approximately 30 kilograms of scientific or commercial equipment and support operations on or near the lunar surface. MX-1 was proposed as Moon Express’ initial lunar lander, but no completed lunar flight has been verified.
MX-2 Scout Class Explorer
MX-2 is a two-stage robotic spacecraft concept intended to provide additional propulsion capability for lunar and planetary missions. The proposed configuration could support lunar surface exploration, cislunar transportation, and missions to more distant destinations. Moon Express identified Venus and the moons of Mars among its potential applications. The vehicle remained a proposed exploration platform without a verified operational flight.
MX-5 Discovery Class Explorer
MX-5 is a larger spacecraft configuration developed within the Moon Express exploration architecture. The proposed vehicle uses five PECO propulsion engines and was described as capable of transporting approximately 150 kilograms to lunar orbit from low Earth orbit, with configurations supporting lunar landing and cislunar operations. Its design also allowed integration with smaller MX spacecraft for additional mission stages. MX-5 did not progress to a verified operational mission.
MX-9 Frontier Class Explorer
MX-9 is the largest spacecraft concept in the Moon Express MX family. It was designed with nine PECO engines and a proposed capacity to deliver up to 500 kilograms to the lunar surface from a suitable transfer trajectory. The architecture included options for transporting robotic explorers and integrating a separate ascent vehicle. MX-9 was associated with the company’s proposed lunar sample-return missions but was not launched.
PECO Propulsion System
PECO is Moon Express’ proposed propulsion technology using RP-1 kerosene and hydrogen peroxide propellants. The propulsion system was designed for spacecraft maneuvers, powered descent, and lunar landing operations. The architecture was intended to support different MX spacecraft configurations, including vehicles with multiple engines. Publicly available information does not establish a completed lunar mission using PECO propulsion.
Lunar Scout Expedition
Lunar Scout was Moon Express’ proposed initial commercial expedition to the Moon. The mission was designed to deliver scientific and commercial payloads, demonstrate robotic landing technology, and investigate lunar surface conditions. Its planned activities included surface characterization and testing exploration systems. The expedition was announced during the company’s early lunar mission development period but did not result in a verified lunar landing.
Lunar Outpost Expedition
Lunar Outpost was a proposed robotic mission to the Moon’s south polar region. Its objectives included investigating potential water ice deposits, identifying useful geological materials, and deploying scientific instruments. The mission concept explored the possibility of establishing robotic infrastructure to support continued lunar exploration. The proposed lunar outpost was not deployed.
Harvest Moon Sample Return Mission
Harvest Moon was Moon Express’ proposed lunar sample-return expedition. The mission architecture included landing a robotic spacecraft, collecting lunar surface materials, and transferring samples into a vehicle capable of returning them to Earth. The company associated the mission with its larger MX-9 spacecraft concept and an integrated ascent vehicle. Harvest Moon remained a proposed mission, and no lunar samples were returned by Moon Express.
Lunar Payload Transportation Services
Moon Express proposed transportation services for scientific instruments, robotic exploration equipment, and commercial payloads destined for the Moon. Its spacecraft architecture was intended to support shared payload missions, dedicated expeditions, and customer-specific spacecraft configurations. The service concept included payload integration, lunar transportation, and surface delivery. Routine commercial lunar delivery operations were not established.
Lunar Resource Prospecting
Moon Express developed mission concepts for investigating lunar resources, including water ice and regolith. Its proposed activities included robotic surface exploration, sample acquisition, and analysis of materials that could potentially support future lunar operations. These concepts were connected to the Lunar Outpost and Harvest Moon expeditions. The company did not establish a verified operational lunar mining or resource extraction service.
Moon Express Applications
Moon Express’ robotic spacecraft concepts were designed for lunar payload transportation, scientific exploration, and surface investigations. Its MX architecture proposed multiple spacecraft sizes for different mission requirements.
The company’s lunar lander and propulsion concepts explored methods for delivering equipment beyond Earth orbit and performing powered descents to the lunar surface.
Its proposed sample collection and resource prospecting missions addressed the investigation of lunar regolith, potential water ice deposits, and other materials relevant to planetary science and future exploration.
Moon Express also explored commercial lunar transportation and sample-return services. These applications remained proposed activities rather than demonstrated operational services.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does Moon Express do?
Moon Express developed robotic spacecraft concepts for lunar transportation, exploration, and sample-return missions. Its MX spacecraft family included the MX-1, MX-2, MX-5, and MX-9, designed for different payload capacities and mission requirements. The company’s proposed activities included scientific payload delivery, lunar resource prospecting, and autonomous exploration. Its recent commercial activity remains unconfirmed.
Is Moon Express still operating?
Moon Express maintains a public website, but its recent operational status is uncertain. As of October 2026, no completed lunar mission or recent spacecraft launch has been independently verified. Industry assessments have described the company as dormant, although some business directories continue to list it as active. Its historical spacecraft development programs should not be presented as current operational lunar transportation services.
Has Moon Express landed a spacecraft on the Moon?
No. Moon Express announced plans to land robotic spacecraft on the Moon, including its MX-1 Scout Class Explorer, but no successful lunar landing has been verified. The company received U.S. government authorization for a proposed private lunar mission in 2016 and was selected as an eligible NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services provider in 2018. Neither milestone represented a completed lunar landing.
What is the difference between MX-1 and MX-9?
MX-1 is a compact robotic spacecraft concept designed for smaller lunar exploration and payload delivery missions, with a proposed payload capacity of approximately 30 kilograms. MX-9 is a larger spacecraft concept with nine propulsion engines and a proposed lunar surface payload capacity of up to 500 kilograms. MX-9 was also designed to support more complex missions, including lunar sample return. Neither spacecraft completed a verified lunar mission.
Was Moon Express selected by NASA?
Yes. NASA selected Moon Express in November 2018 as one of the initial companies eligible to compete for lunar payload delivery task orders under its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. However, selection as a program vendor did not guarantee a delivery contract. NASA’s 2024 Inspector General report did not identify Moon Express as a recipient of a lunar delivery task order.
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