NASA must deploy Lunar Terrain Vehicles by November 2027 to enable sustained surface mobility ahead of Artemis IV’s crewed landing in March 2028. The agency awarded task orders to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost for CLV-1 and Pegasus rovers, each valued at approximately $220 million, with Blue Origin securing the launch contract via New Glenn and Blue Moon Mark 1. These autonomous-capable vehicles, weighing one metric ton and navigating 20-degree slopes, support NASA’s Moon Base initiative targeting a permanent outpost by 2030. Without early mobility infrastructure, operators cannot execute south pole exploration or long-term base operations, jeopardizing the national space policy priority for enduring lunar presence.