Brief

NASA JPL completes environmental tests of Voyager Technologies’ Griffin‑1 lunar lander

The Griffin‑1 spacecraft cleared a series of environmental tests at JPL and is slated for a SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch later this year.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:36:47 GMT

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) announced that the Griffin Mission One (Griffin‑1) lander, built by Voyager Technologies, has successfully completed a battery of environmental tests designed to simulate the harsh conditions of space travel.

What happened

Testing began in July after the 2,789‑pound (1,265‑kilogram) spacecraft arrived at JPL following a cross‑country drive from Voyager Lunar Systems’ factory in Pittsburgh. Engineers subjected Griffin‑1 to mass‑properties measurements, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and compatibility checks in an anechoic chamber, and vibration tests on a shaker table that reproduced launch forces in three axes. A separate test used giant nitrogen‑powered horns to generate up to 153 decibels of sound, mimicking the roar of a rocket launch. The lander also endured thermal‑vacuum cycles that reproduced the extreme cold and vacuum of space.

What the reports add

The NASA release details that the lander’s mass‑properties test helped identify any wobble that could affect navigation, while the EMI/EMC test ensured that onboard electronics would not interfere with each other. Vibration testing monitored hundreds of sensors as the shaker table applied increasing forces, confirming the spacecraft’s structural integrity for the stresses of ascent and landing.

What was said

"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 Charles Whetsel, manager of the Exploration Systems Development Office at JPL, as quoted in the NASA release.

How it came about

Griffin‑1 is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which contracts private companies to deliver cargo to the Moon. The lander is classified as an infrastructure‑class vehicle and will carry more than 1,100 pounds (455 kilograms) of payload, including ten science and technology demonstrations from six nations and the FLIP rover, the largest commercial payload ever sent to the Moon. NASA plans to launch Griffin‑1 later in 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to deliver its cargo to Nobile Crater near the lunar South Pole.

Key facts

• Griffin‑1 completed thermal‑vacuum, vibration, mass‑properties, and EMI/EMC tests at JPL. (nasa.gov)
• The lander weighs 2,789 pounds (1,265 kilograms) and will carry over 1,100 pounds of cargo to the Moon. (nasa.gov)
• Launch is scheduled for later in 2026 on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to Nobile Crater near the lunar South Pole. (nasa.gov)
• Charles Whetsel, manager of JPL’s Exploration Systems Development Office, praised the testing program. (nasa.gov)

Sources

• [1] nasa.gov — originally reported as “NASA JPL Testing Readies Voyager Technologies Lander for Moon Mission”