NASA selects nine US companies to compete for Moon program

NASA on Thursday named nine US companies, including Lockheed Martin Corp, vying for funding under the Space Agency's renewed long-term program on the moon, a privately-owned company. public aimed to develop a technology that will explore the lunar surface.

Companies, some of which will develop small launchers and robotic rovers over the next 10 years, will compete for $ 2.6 billion in its commercial lunar payload service program. National Administration of Aeronautics and Space.

By 2022, NASA plans to begin construction of a new space station laboratory that will rotate around the moon and serve as a base for deeper missions. parts of our solar system, such as Mars.

"When we go to the moon, we want to be a customer among many customers in a robust market between the Earth and the Moon," NASA administers. Spokesman Jim Bridenstine said at a press briefing Thursday.

"Lunar payloads could fly on these contracted missions as early as 2019," NASA said in a previous press release.

In addition to Lockheed Martin, NASA chose Draper, which developed computers for the Apollo missions, Astrobotic Technology Inc., Firefly Aerospace Inc., Moon Express and four others to eventually develop equipment for the aircraft. program.

(Source)

end of June