What Happened
New Lander Contracts And Recycled Mars Rover Announced
NASA has announced a series of awards for its Moon Base program, including new lander contracts and a recycled Mars rover mission. The awards, totaling $1.3B, were made under the VADR contract and include task orders for SpaceX, Blue Origin, and other companies. Additionally, NASA selected eight companies to compete for lunar deliveries under the CLPS 2 contract, worth up to $10B. The PROMISE lunar rover mission, built from spare parts and test models, was also greenlit. According to Payload, these awards represent a significant step forward in NASA’s plans to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon.