NASA has awarded contracts worth nearly $1 billion to Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, Astrolab, Lunar Outpost and Firefly Aerospace Inc. (NASDAQ: FLY) to build and deliver early infrastructure for a permanent moon base, the agency's first major commercial procurement push under its revised Artemis program.
NASA Pushes Ahead With Moon Base
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the agreements on Tuesday as part of a plan to establish a continuous human and robotic presence near the lunar south pole. He said the moon base would become "America's and humanity's first outpost on another celestial world," adding that each mission would help NASA learn how to live and operate in a difficult lunar environment.
The U.S. space agency awarded Astrolab $219 million and Lunar Outpost $220 million to build and deliver the first phase of lunar terrain vehicles, or rovers, that astronauts could use on the moon by 2028. The vehicles are meant to transport astronauts, move supplies, support remote operations and scout terrain before longer-duration missions.
Blue Origin Lands Key Delivery Role
Blue Origin received a $188 million contract to deliver two rovers to the lunar surface using its uncrewed Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance cargo lander. NASA said the contract includes an optional extension period worth $280.4 million for two task orders.
The award comes weeks after Blue Origin's early Blue Moon Mark 1 prototype completed a survival test at NASA's Johnson Space Center, clearing a key milestone before an uncrewed lunar test flight intended to reduce risk for later Artemis astronaut landings.
The government space agency also selected Firefly Aerospace to build the spacecraft that will carry drones from Earth orbit to the moon for MoonFall, a mission targeted for launch in 2028. The drones will survey difficult terrain and potential landing sites.
Artemis Plan Expands Commercial Space Role
NASA said the Artemis plan, created during President Donald Trump's first term and later revised, centers on putting infrastructure and vehicles on the lunar surface. Artemis' second mission launched in April, sent four astronauts around the moon and back as a precursor to the first crewed moon landing since 1972.
Separately, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) last week announced Blue Origin will expand its Rocket Park campus in Cape Canaveral with a $600 million project to boost production of parts for the heavy-lift New Glenn rocket.