The latest phase of the program will see three commercial space companies – Astrobotic Technology, Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines – deliver NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations to the lunar surface from late 2028.
The missions form part of NASA’s broader Moon Base strategy, which aims to establish the foundations for long-term operations on the lunar surface, including scientific research, commercial activity and eventually, sustained astronaut missions.
Under the new contracts, Astrobotic will receive approximately US$297.9 million ($430.6 million) for two lunar deliveries, while Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines will receive around US$144.2 million and US$148.3 million, respectively, for one mission each.
NASA said the approach will allow the agency to increase the pace of lunar missions while using commercial providers to test, refine and improve the reliability of lunar landing systems ahead of more complex human exploration missions.
NASA’s Moon Base program is designed as a stepping stone towards a permanent human presence beyond Earth, with the lunar surface serving as a proving ground for technologies needed for deeper space exploration, including future missions to Mars.
The upcoming missions will carry a standard suite of NASA instruments designed to better understand the challenges of operating on the moon.
Among the payloads will be the Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies, which will study how rocket engines interact with lunar dust during landing. The data will help engineers understand how future, larger spacecraft could affect nearby infrastructure and equipment.
The missions will also carry laser retroreflector arrays, small passive devices that allow spacecraft to precisely determine their location using reflected laser signals. NASA said these systems will help create a network of permanent navigation markers across the moon.
A third payload, the linear energy transfer spectrometer, will measure radiation levels on the lunar surface, providing critical information to help design safer habitats and protect astronauts during long-duration missions.
NASA said the expanded mission cadence reflects a shift towards a more commercially driven model of lunar exploration, with private companies responsible for developing, operating and improving their own lunar delivery capabilities.
The agency is also preparing additional opportunities for industry, including potential missions involving new power systems, avionics demonstrations, scientific instruments and a communications and navigation network to connect lunar assets with Earth.
NASA is also examining future opportunities for the PROMISE rover, a lunar vehicle based on technology developed from the agency’s Mars rover programs to explore the lunar surface, study subsurface conditions and search for useful resources.
NASA said the new contracts represent another step towards establishing the infrastructure required for sustained lunar operations.
The agency’s Moon Base vision centres on the lunar south pole, a region of major scientific and strategic interest due to its permanently shadowed craters, potential water ice deposits and challenging terrain.
By deploying repeated robotic missions before astronauts return, NASA aims to build a detailed understanding of the lunar environment, test equipment and develop the operational knowledge required for humans to live and work on another world.
The agency said future Moon Base missions will support scientific discovery, commercial opportunities and the development of technologies needed for the next era of human exploration beyond Earth.
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