in

NASA Taps 9 Companies to Conduct Mars Exploration Commercial Services Studies

Johns Hopkins APL Books $493M Space Force Systems Engineering Services Contract
Mars Exploration Program

NASA has selected nine companies to conduct a total of 12 studies on the feasibility of using commercial services, such as payload delivery, payload hosting, communications relay and surface imaging, to support future science missions to Mars.

The Mars Exploration Commercial Services research program focuses on four categories: small payload delivery and hosting services, large payload delivery and hosting services, Mars surface-imaging services and next-generation relay services, NASA said Wednesday.

The selected companies are:

  • Albedo Space Corporation
  • Astrobotic Technology
  • Blue Origin
  • Firefly Aerospace
  • Impulse Space
  • Lockheed Martin
  • Redwire Space
  • SpaceX
  • United Launch Services

Each awardee will receive between $200,000 and $300,000 to produce early-stage concept studies for enabling partnerships between the government and industry to support frequent, lower-cost missions to Mars over the next two decades.

“Now is the right time for NASA to begin looking at how public-private partnerships could support science at Mars in the coming decades,” said Eric Ianson, director of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program.

ExecutiveBiz Logo

Sign Up Now! ExecutiveBiz provides you with Daily Updates and News Briefings about Technology

mm

Written by Naomi Cooper

is a full-time writer for ArchIntel, a division of Executive Mosaic, and a contributor for ExecutiveBiz. She covers emerging technologies, technology innovation, contract awards, partnerships and market expansion stories in the government contracting industry.

KBR Reports 1st Quarter Fiscal Year 2024 Results; Mark Sopp Quoted - top government contractors - best government contracting event
KBR Reports 1st Quarter Fiscal Year 2024 Results; Mark Sopp Quoted
GA-ASI Wins $95M Research & Development Contract to Support Smart Sensor Prototype EffortGA-ASI Wins $95M Research & Development Contract to Support Smart Sensor Prototype Effort
GA-ASI Wins $95M Research & Development Contract to Support Smart Sensor Prototype Effort