NASA has selected three commercial space companies to carry out four new Moon missions in late 2028, marking another major step in the agency's effort to establish a permanent human presence on the lunar surface. Astrobotic, Firefly Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines will deliver scientific instruments to the Moon as part of NASA's growing Moon Base Program, which aims to create the first long-term outpost on another world.
"These new awards to our commercial partners, totaling nearly $600 million to land more missions on the Moon with science payloads, demonstrate our commitment to accelerating our effort to build a long-term presence on the lunar surface, and give us more opportunity to develop the skills we need to prosper there," said Lori Glaze, associate administrator for the Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Nearly $600 Million Awarded for Four Lunar Missions
The contracts total almost $600 million across the three companies. Astrobotic received $297.9 million to complete two deliveries, while Firefly Aerospace was awarded $144.2 million and Intuitive Machines received $148.3 million for one mission each.
All four flights will be carried out under NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, which serves as a key transportation system for the Moon Base. Each company will fly upgraded versions of landers that have already been used on previous missions, allowing NASA to increase the pace of lunar exploration.
