NASA Announces $10B Lunar Contract Framework and New Nuclear-Powered Moon Rover

NASA Selects SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Six Other Companies for $10 Billion Lunar Delivery Contracts

NASA announced Saturday that eight aerospace companies are eligible to compete for up to $10 billion in lunar delivery contracts to support the agency’s plans for a permanent base at the moon’s south pole. The 10-year Commercial Lunar Payload Services framework establishes a spending ceiling for future task orders rather than immediate payouts, according to the agency.

For upcoming missions, NASA invited Voyager Technologies, Lockheed Martin Space, Northrop Grumman Space Systems, Intuitive Machines, Firefly Aerospace, ispace US, Blue Origin, and SpaceX to submit bids. “We are building the Moon Base mission by mission,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. “When our astronauts return to the Moon, they will arrive with the first elements of the Moon Base already waiting for them on the surface.”

Blue Origin Secures Contract to Deliver Nuclear-Powered PROMISE Rover

To transport NASA’s nuclear-powered PROMISE rover to the lunar South Pole, Blue Origin landed a $94 million base contract, supplemented by an optional $140 million tied to performance metrics. The six-wheeled vehicle, formally named the Polar Rover for Observation, Mapping, and In-Situ Exploration, is designed to examine surface and subsurface regions.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is building the rover using spare flight components and engineering test models from the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers to reduce development costs, according to the agency. Blue Origin will use its Mark 1 lunar lander to transport the vehicle, with NASA targeting a late-2028 launch for an 18-month mission.

Transportation Task Orders and Logistics Contracts Awarded for Cislunar Operations

Arrow Science and Technology, Impulse Space, and Blue Origin received a total of six transportation task orders from NASA, amounting to roughly $1.3 billion collectively. These missions will test technologies for moving cargo between Earth and the moon, including navigation systems and robotic drones intended to scout landing sites.

Impulse Space announced it received two task orders under NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare contract to provide in-space mobility, utilizing its product fleet including the throttleable lander, the Helios kick-stage, and the Mira maneuvering spacecraft. In 2028, Starship will carry communications satellites into cislunar space as part of a separate demonstration awarded to SpaceX under a pre-existing lunar logistics agreement.

Commercial Vendors Expand Lunar Infrastructure and Supply Capabilities

Firefly Aerospace announced its onboarding as a vendor under the CLPS 2 initiative, using its experience from its Blue Ghost Mission 1 that landed on the moon in March 2025, according to Firefly Aerospace. The company plans to use its larger landers and AI-powered autonomous guidance software to deliver heavy terrain vehicles and power systems.

ispace's U.S. subsidiary based in Denver, Colorado, was also selected as a prime contractor for CLPS 2, changing from its previous subcontractor role under CLPS 1. While the company experienced unsuccessful lunar landing attempts in April 2023 and June 2025, ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada stated the company has secured a position with direct access to NASA’s large market through its next-generation lander development.

Frequently Asked Questions About NASA’s Lunar South Pole Initiative

What is the total financial value of the new Commercial Lunar Payload Services framework?

The new CLPS framework has a maximum combined value of $10 billion over a 10-year period, representing a ceiling for future task orders rather than money already awarded to participating companies.

When is the PROMISE rover scheduled to reach the moon?

NASA is targeting a late-2028 launch for the nuclear-powered PROMISE rover, which will undertake an 18-month mission after being delivered to the lunar South Pole by Blue Origin’s Mark 1 lander.

How does ispace’s role change under the new lunar contracts?

Under the previous CLPS 1.0 program, the lunar exploration startup ispace served as a subcontractor to U.S. companies, but its U.S. subsidiary has now been selected as a prime contractor for CLPS 2 to take a leading role from proposal through mission execution.

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