NASA awards three companies lunar lander contracts for moon base

NASA has awarded contracts to three companies — Astrobotic, Firefly Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines — to deliver uncrewed lunar landers as part of the agency's Artemis moon base project. The total value of the contracts is around $570 million, though CNN reports the figure at $590 million.

Contract details

• Astrobotic received a $280 million contract for two lander missions.
• Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines each received $144 million for one mission. Source: CNA
• CNN notes the combined total is $590 million. Source: CNN

Broader moon base plans

The contracts are part of Phase 1 of the moon base program, expected to last through 2028 and cost about $10 billion. NASA is also considering repurposing a Mars rover, nicknamed Promise, for lunar use. Previous awards this year include contracts for lunar buggies and drones. Source: CNN

Challenges ahead

A key partner, Blue Origin, suffered a major setback in May when its New Glenn rocket exploded on the launchpad, potentially delaying its Blue Moon lander. NASA is exploring alternative launch vehicles to keep the program on schedule. Source: CNN