NASA selects companies to collect lunar resources for Artemis demonstrations

NASA has selected four companies to collect space assets and transfer ownership to the agency: Lunar Outpost of Golden, Colorado; Masten Space Systems of Mojave, California; ispace Europe of Luxembourg; and ispace Japan in Tokyo. Collectively, NASA’s new contracts with these companies amount to $ 25,001.

Space resources will play a key role in NASA’s Artemis program and future space exploration. The ability to mine and use extraterrestrial resources will ensure that Artemis’ operations can be conducted safely and sustainably in support of the creation of human lunar exploration. Furthermore, the use of in situ resources (ISRU) will play a fundamental role in a future human mission to Mars. Like many other operations, ISRU’s activities will be tested and developed on the Moon, building the knowledge needed to implement new capabilities that will be needed to overcome the challenges of a human mission to Mars.

These awards expand NASA’s innovative use of public-private partnerships on the Moon. “We are excited to join our business and international partners to make Artemis the largest and most diverse global human space exploration coalition in history,” said Mike Gold, NASA’s associate administrator for international and inter-agency relations. Space resources are the fuel that will propel America and all of humanity to the stars.

Much remains to be done to develop strong ISRU capabilities. Both robotic and human explorers will test new technologies and techniques.

Leveraging commercial involvement enhances our ability to return safely to the Moon in a sustainable, innovative and cost-effective way, said Phil McAlister, director of commercial space flight development at NASA headquarters. A supportive policy for the recovery and use of space resources provides a stable and predictable investment environment for commercial space innovators and entrepreneurs.

The companies will collect a small amount of lunar regolith from any location on the moon and provide NASA with images of the collection and material collected, along with data identifying the location of the collection. Upon receipt of these images and data, an on-site transfer of ownership of the lunar regolith to NASA will take place. After the transfer of ownership, the collected material becomes the exclusive property of NASA for use by agencies under the Artemis program.

NASA requested fixed-price quotes using simplified acquisition procedures and selected companies using the low-cost and technically acceptable selection method. The agency assessed the quotes and assigned an over-limit rating based on their ability to satisfactorily meet the solicitation requirements. The companies were then selected from among the acceptable proposals, based on the agency’s available budget, starting with the proposals with the lowest price. The details on the selection are:

• Lunar Outpost has proposed raising for $ 1 after a lander arrives at the lunar South Pole in 2023.
• ispace Japan has proposed raising $ 5,000 following the arrival in 2022 of a lander at Lacus Somniorum on the nearby northeastern side of the moon.
• ispace Europe has proposed raising $ 5,000 after the arrival of a lander at the lunar South Pole in 2023.
• Masten Space Systems has proposed raising $ 15,000 after a lander arrives at the lunar South Pole in 2023.

Companies will receive 10% of the total proposed price at the time of the award, will receive 10% at the time of launch and the remaining 80% upon successful completion. The payment from NASA is exclusively for the lunar regolith. The agency will determine recovery methods for the relocated lunar regolith at a later date.

Companies must take all actions to perform contracts in full compliance with the Registration Convention, Article II and other provisions of the Outer Space Treaty, as well as in compliance with other relevant international obligations of NASA. NASA will continue to publicly release data and scientific discoveries obtained through safe and sustainable lunar exploration for the benefit of all humanity.

-end-