NASA JPL Completes Testing of Voyager Technologies' Griffin-1 Lunar Lander

Voyager Technologies’ Griffin Mission One (Griffin-1) lunar lander has successfully completed a series of critical environmental tests at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California. The testing, which simulated the extreme conditions of space and launch, confirms the spacecraft is ready for its mission to the Moon later this year.

Mission Scope and Payload

Griffin-1 is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative within the Moon Base Program. The lander is expected to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. It will deliver more than 1,100 pounds (455 kilograms) of cargo to Nobile Crater near the lunar South Pole, classifying it as an infrastructure-class lander.

The mission will carry 10 science and technology demonstrations from six countries. Among these is Astrolab’s FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform) rover, which NASA states is the largest commercial payload ever delivered to the Moon.

Rigorous Environmental Testing

Testing began in July after the 2,789-pound (1,265-kilogram) spacecraft traveled from Voyager Lunar Systems’ manufacturing facilities in Pittsburgh to JPL. Engineers conducted several types of tests to ensure the lander could withstand the journey:

• Mass Properties: Engineers spun the spacecraft on a special table to measure its mass properties and check for unexpected wobbles.
• Electromagnetic Compatibility: The lander underwent testing inside an anechoic chamber, where foam spikes absorb sound and electromagnetic waves, to ensure electronic components do not interfere with one another.
• Vibration and Acoustics: A "shaker table" rattled the spacecraft in three directions to simulate launch forces. Additionally, giant horns powered by compressed nitrogen gas blasted the spacecraft with up to 153 decibels in a sealed acoustic chamber to mimic the roar of launch.
• Thermal Vacuum: In the 25-Foot Space Simulator, a facility listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Griffin-1 was subjected to temperatures ranging from 167 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius) to minus 148 F (minus 100 C) for about two weeks.

Official Statements

Charles Whetsel, manager of the Exploration Systems Development Office at JPL, highlighted the facility's history in supporting lunar exploration.

"NASA JPL’s Environmental Test Laboratory has been putting robotic explorers to the test since the Ranger program gave us NASA’s first up-close views of the Moon’s surface in the mid-1960s. We’re proud to provide our expertise and facilities to support this new phase of commercial lunar exploration," said Whetsel.

John Thornton, executive vice president at Voyager, emphasized the significance of the milestone for future lunar infrastructure.

"Griffin-1 is being built for a historic purpose: to deliver the infrastructure and capabilities to the Moon. Seeing the spacecraft complete this demanding environmental testing is a major milestone because it demonstrates that Griffin-1 is ready for the extreme journey ahead: launch, through deep space, to the lunar South Pole," said Thornton. "This spacecraft represents a new era of commercial lunar exploration, where missions like Griffin-1 are laying the groundwork for the Moon Base and helping turn sustained lunar exploration from a vision into a reality."

Next Steps

Following the completion of testing at JPL, Griffin-1 has returned to Voyager Lunar Systems’ facility for final assembly. The next phase involves launch-readiness operations before the spacecraft is shipped to Cape Canaveral for its scheduled launch.

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Sources

• nasa.gov: NASA JPL Testing Readies Voyager Technologies Lander for Moon Mission - NASA

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