CLPS
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.
NASA awards contracts for lunar technologies and ice prospecting payload
NASA has awarded more than $400 million in contracts to both demonstrate technologies needed for future lunar exploration and to send an ice-drilling payload to the south pole of the moon.
NASA inspector general criticizes high-risk approach to CLPS program
NASA’s inspector general warned in a recent report that the agency’s planetary science division was taking “undue risk” in its current approach to a commercial lunar transportation program.
SpaceX to launch Masten lunar lander
Masten Space Systems announced Aug. 26 that it signed a contract with SpaceX for the launch of its first lunar lander mission carrying a suite of payloads for NASA.
Astrobotic wins NASA contract to deliver VIPER lunar rover
NASA has selected Astrobotic to deliver a rover to the surface of the moon in late 2023 to prospect for water ice that could support future human missions.
OHB and IAI plan commercial lunar lander mission in late 2022
German space company OHB is moving ahead with plans to launch a commercial lunar lander mission in cooperation with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in late 2022 as it looks for government and commercial customers.
Op-ed | Taking stock of NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services progress
With the countdown on, it is a good time to reflect on the progress made by the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and think about what is to come in the near future.
