CLPS
Lander companies prepare to shoot for the moon
The first launches of commercial landers to the moon under CLPS are slated late this year or early next, marking an important milestone for a 2018 NASA program that saw one of its awardees file for bankruptcy this summer.
Court approves sale of Masten assets to Astrobotic
A federal bankruptcy court approved the sale of nearly all the assets of Masten Space Systems, a company developing a lunar lander for a NASA mission, to another lander developer, Astrobotic.
Astrobotic bids for Masten Space Systems assets
Astrobotic Technology, a lunar lander developer, has made a formal bid for “substantially all” of the assets of Masten Space Systems, another lander company that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month.
Masten Space Systems files for bankruptcy
Masten Space Systems, a company developing a lunar lander for a NASA mission, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy July 28 with plans to sell one of its major assets to a competitor.
Draper wins NASA contract for farside lunar lander mission
NASA awarded a contract to Draper to send three science instruments to the far side of the moon through a commercial payload delivery program.
NASA delays VIPER lunar rover launch by a year
NASA has delayed the launch of an ice-prospecting lunar rover by a year to perform more testing of its commercial lander, the agency announced July 18.
Astrobotic lunar lander on track for late 2022 launch
Astrobotic Technology showed off its nearly complete lunar lander it is building for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program and said the spacecraft remains on schedule to launch this year.
ESA ends cooperation with Russia on lunar missions
ESA announced April 13 it was further cutting ties with Russia by dropping plans to cooperate on a series of lunar missions, turning instead to NASA and other agencies.
NASA selects Intuitive Machines for CLPS lunar landing mission
NASA awarded a $77.5 million contract to Intuitive Machines Nov. 17 for the delivery of four payloads to the surface of the moon in 2024.
ESA to be anchor customer on commercial lunar satellite
The European Space Agency has signed a contract with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) to be the anchor customer on a commercial lunar communications satellite that company is developing.
NASA has no plans to exchange lunar samples with China
NASA currently has no plans to trade any of its Apollo-era lunar samples with those returned by China’s Chang’e-5 mission, although then agency’s chief scientist held out hope for such an exchange in the future.
Intuitive Machines selects SpaceX for launch of third lunar lander mission
Commercial lunar lander developer Intuitive Machines will launch its third lunar lander mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9, the same vehicle the company selected for its first two lander missions.
Masten delays first lunar lander mission
Masten Space Systems is pushing back the launch of its first lunar lander mission by nearly a year, the latest in a series of delays by companies with NASA contracts to transport payloads to the moon.
Firefly selects SpaceX to launch its lunar lander
Firefly Aerospace announced May 20 it selected SpaceX to launch its first lunar lander mission for NASA, the latest in a series of contract wins by SpaceX for lunar missions.
Intuitive Machines’ first lunar lander mission slips to 2022
The first lunar lander mission by Intuitive Machines, which had been scheduled for launch late this year, has been delayed to early 2022 by its launch provider, SpaceX.
Astrobotic selects Falcon Heavy to launch NASA’s VIPER lunar rover
Astrobotic has signed a contract with SpaceX for the launch of its Griffin lunar lander, carrying a NASA lunar rover, on a Falcon Heavy in 2023.
VIPER lunar rover mission cost increases
A NASA rover mission to look for ice at the south pole of the moon has passed a key review, but now costs significantly more than previously advertised.
Firefly wins NASA CLPS lunar lander contract
NASA has selected Firefly Aerospace to deliver a set of 10 research payloads to the moon in 2023, the latest award in its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.
SpaceX wins contracts for lunar lander, environmental satellite launches
SpaceX secured contracts Jan. 13 for the launches of a commercial lunar lander mission backed by NASA as well as a privately funded satellite to track methane emissions.
Japanese lunar lander company ispace opens U.S. office
A Japanese company developing commercial lunar landers has opened an office in the United States in a bid to win more business from NASA’s Artemis program.
