United States development

Moon Express

Moon Express is an American private lunar exploration company and one of the original Google Lunar XPrize competitors.

Cape Canaveral, United States Est. 2010 Commercial
moonexpress.com
Founded
2010
Headquarters
Cape Canaveral, United States
Ownership
Private
Last round
Undisclosed round · $375K 2017-12
Quick Facts
Country
United States
Founded
2010
Type
commercial
Status
development

About Moon Express

Updated 2026-09-05

Moon Express is an American private lunar exploration company and one of the original Google Lunar XPrize competitors. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the company was the first private company to receive US government approval to travel beyond Earth orbit when it received FAA approval in 2016 for a lunar mission. Moon Express developed the MX-1 family of spacecraft designed as scalable lunar landers for cargo delivery, science instruments, and resource extraction — specifically targeting water ice in permanently shadowed craters at the lunar poles.

The company has been relatively quiet since the Google Lunar XPrize ended in 2018 without a winner, though it maintains development activities. Moon Express faced competition from Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, and ispace, which received NASA CLPS contracts that Moon Express did not.

Funding history

5 events
DateRoundAmountInvestorsSource
2017-12-21Undisclosed round$375K Form D filed 2018-01-04 by MOON EXPRESS, INC.: $375K sold of a $2.0M offering (first sale 2017-12-21).sec.gov
2016-04-18Undisclosed round$259K Form D filed 2016-04-29 by MOON EXPRESS, INC.: $259K sold of a $2.0M offering (first sale 2016-04-18).sec.gov
2013-12-13Undisclosed round$3.0M Form D filed 2013-12-16 by MOON EXPRESS, INC.: $3.0M sold of a $6.3M offering (first sale 2013-12-13).sec.gov
2011-12-30Undisclosed round$3.0M Form D filed 2011-12-30 by MOON EXPRESS, INC.: of a $3.0M offering.sec.gov
2011-06-17Undisclosed round$1.6M Form D filed 2011-06-17 by MOON EXPRESS, INC.: of a $1.6M offering.sec.gov

Team

  • Robert D. Richards Founder · source
  • Naveen Jain Founder · source
  • Barney Pell Founder · source

Signals

Verification
Verified 2026-09-05

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Frequently asked about Moon Express

Quick answers to the questions readers most often search for.

When was Moon Express founded?
Moon Express was founded in 2010 in United States.
Where is Moon Express headquartered?
Moon Express is headquartered in Cape Canaveral, United States.
What does Moon Express do?
Moon Express is an American private lunar exploration company and one of the original Google Lunar XPrize competitors. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the company was the first private company to receive US government approval to travel beyond Earth orbit when it received FAA approval in 2…
Is Moon Express a public or private company?
Moon Express is a privately held company and is not listed on any stock exchange.
What sector does Moon Express operate in?
Moon Express works in lunar.

Data Accuracy Notice: Information about Moon Express is compiled from publicly available sources including company websites, press releases, regulatory filings, and industry reports. Data is reviewed periodically but may not reflect the most recent developments.

Matched to SEC EDGAR, Wikidata · data pass September 5, 2026
Editorial owner: Dr. Donovan, Editor-in-Chief Company representatives may submit corrections This page does not constitute an endorsement or affiliation Learn about our data methodology