What Happened
California Company Challenges Decision Favoring Blue Origin
Rocket Lab has filed a formal protest with the Government Accountability Office, challenging NASA’s decision to award Blue Origin a $700 million contract for the Mars Telecommunications Network mission. The company argues that NASA’s award decision appears inconsistent with Congressional eligibility criteria and that the agency’s review of Rocket Lab’s technical proposal was punitive and incorrect. The protest may delay the project, which aims to provide a critical communications link between Earth and Mars. The decision was first reported by Space.com.