Astroport and Vermeer Collaborate to Pioneer "Lunar Iron" for Lunar Base Infrastructure

COLLEGE STATION, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Astroport Space Technologies, Inc., a leader in lunar construction, today announced at the 20th International Conference on Engineering, Science, Construction and Operations in Challenging Environments (ASCE Earth & Space 2026), a collaboration with global agricultural and industrial equipment manufacturer Vermeer Corporation to help in the development of autonomous construction machinery to aid in building a permanent human presence on the Moon.

The collaboration contributes Vermeer’s surface mining expertise to Astroport’s specialized work in robotic autonomy and lunar soil (regolith). The primary focus of this collaboration is on “lunarization” of Vermeer surface mining machinery using Astroport’s Universal Tool Implement Payload Adapter (UTIPA) technology, a modular adapter system of interchangeable tools designed for robotic construction in the Moon’s extreme environment. Beginning with a surface miner application, the teams will utilize UTIPA technology to adjust heavy equipment’s traditional reliance on mass and weight, in order to operate in the Moon’s low gravity environment and survive massive temperature swings and harsh lunar surface conditions.

"Vermeer has always been about finding a better way to get tough work done," said Jason Andringa, President and CEO of Vermeer Corporation. "For more than seven decades Vermeer has built equipment that is working farms and ranches, managing natural resources and connecting people to daily necessities. This collaboration is an example of our continuation of that important work, applying our expertise in automation and heavy equipment to the lunar environment."

"Recent federal mandates have made it clear: the U.S. is committed to a permanent lunar presence, and that requires a robust space industrial base," said Sam Ximenes, Astroport Founder and CEO. "By partnering with Vermeer, we are delivering the 'Lunar Iron' necessary to dig foundations, build roads and landing pads, and provide the hardened infrastructure required for critical assets such as safe nuclear power deployment and habitation on the Moon."

The goal of this partnership is to develop autonomous systems to handle these "dirt work" essentials, including site preparation and power grid protection, adapting Vermeer’s high-torque cutting and trenching technologies for lunar deployment. Prototype testing will be done at Vermeer headquarters.

This work aligns with NASA’s Moon Base program goals to construct lunar infrastructure by 2030. The integration of Vermeer’s industrial-grade reliability with Astroport’s robotic technologies, will help create solutions for NASA and commercial developers who will need infrastructure to operate on the Moon.

About Astroport Space Technologies, Inc.

ASTROPORT is a space construction and materials manufacturing company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with strategic branches in Luxembourg, and Adelaide (Australia). The company is a leading international provider of advanced space exploration solutions for lunar architecture, construction, and materials manufacturing using native lunar resources to build sustainable space infrastructure for the Cislunar economy. Astroport develops civil-engineering solutions and robotic technologies to transform lunar regolith into critical infrastructure to deploy and operate high-value assets on the Moon. Astroport is a leader in astronautical civil engineering and space architecture.

The company was founded in 2020 with the vision to design, deploy, and operate planetary landing ports for safe, reliable, and efficient spaceflights to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Visit www.astroportspace.com and follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Vermeer Corporation

VERMEER is a manufacturer of industrial equipment supporting agricultural applications, underground construction, surface mining and more. With a reputation for durability and innovation, Vermeer equipment is used in more than 60 countries around the world. Headquartered in Pella, Iowa, the family-owned and operated company brings decades of experience in heavy machinery and automation. These capabilities position Vermeer to support the development of autonomous systems for lunar infrastructure development.