The
three companies selected to provide commercial Moon landing services will
deliver NASA science and technology payloads under Commercial Lunar
Payload Services (CLPS) as part of the Artemis program.

Orbit Beyond of Edison, New Jersey, has proposed to fly as many as four payloads to a lava plain in one of the Moon’s craters.  Credits: Orbit Beyond

CLPS represents a completely new way of doing business for
NASA science and the agency hopes this commercial approach will vastly speed up
the development process and deliver payloads to the lunar surface much quicker and
for less money than under a solely NASA run program.


Under CLPS NASA is the customer for the commercial lunar
launders which will be designed and built by the 3 companies not by NASA,
although NASA will provide some oversight and help as the companies meet and
achieve milestones to receive payments.


“These private partners will us get to the Moon. They will
build the spacecraft,” said Thomas Zurbuchen,
associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington,
during the NASA webcast announcement from NASA Goddard In Maryland.


In fact NASA is just one of multiple customers for each of
the commercial companies which will also include non-NASA US entities and international
space agencies. 

Intuitive Machines of Houston has proposed to fly as many as five payloads to a scientifically intriguing dark spot on the Moon.  Credits: Intuitive Machines

Here are the selections as outlined by NASA
including the contract amounts, landing sites and dates:

Astrobotic of Pittsburgh has proposed to fly as many as 14 payloads to a large crater on the near side of the Moon.  Credits: Astrobotic

“These
landers are just the beginning of exciting commercial partnerships that will
bring us closer to solving the many scientific mysteries of our Moon, our solar
system, and beyond,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s
Science Mission Directorate in Washington. 


“What
we learn will not only change our view of the universe, but also prepare our
human missions to the Moon and eventually Mars.”


NASA’s
lunar orbiting  LRO spacecraft will
provide high resolution imagery and spectral data to each company to assist
them with their proposed landing sites.  


“Each
partner is providing end-to-end commercial payload delivery services to NASA,
including payload integration and operations, launch from Earth and landing on
the surface of the Moon. These early missions will enable important technology
demonstrations that will inform the development of future landers and other
exploration systems needed for humans to return to the lunar surface. They also
will help prepare the agency to send astronauts to explore Mars,” according to
a NASA description.


NASA
is preparing task orders for future lunar landing missions.


During
the telecon I asked when will NASA send a probe to the lunar South Pole to
sample and analyze the composition of the lunar water ice in the permanently
shadowed craters.


NASA’s
Steve Clarke, deputy associate administrator for exploration in NASA’s
science mission directorate, responded that such a mission is upcoming possibly in 2022 or 2023.


It
may by a NASA run mission and could perhaps also involve a sample return. 


Stay
tuned.


Watch for Ken’s continuing
onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.