NASA expanded its lunar infrastructure campaign on November 7, 2026, selecting eight aerospace companies to compete for task orders under the newly established Commercial Lunar Payload Services 2 framework, backed by a combined maximum value of $10 billion as announced at the Kennedy Space Center.
The agency also introduced PROMISE, a nuclear-powered rover destined for the lunar South Pole, alongside increased funding for existing commercial lander agreements as part of an iterative approach to establishing a permanent human outpost.
Eight Aerospace Firms Join Lunar Mission Supplier Network
The 10-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity master contract broadens the scope of commercial lunar missions beyond foundational deliveries. Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines, iSpace US, Lockheed Martin Space, Northrop Grumman Space Systems, SpaceX, and Voyager Technologies are among the businesses chosen for the CLPS 2 supplier network. These contractors will manage, build, and operate landers designed to transport science, technology, and infrastructure payloads to the lunar surface.
Voyager has been selected for @NASA CLPS 2 contract, making it eligible to compete for future lunar missions through 2036 under a $10 billion base ceiling. The selection expands its role in the Moon Base Program as Griffin-1 prepares for launch to the lunar South Pole. Learn… pic.twitter.com/PelRrYexYP
Participating firms highlighted their readiness for the expanded initiative. CLPS 2 opens a new chapter where the scope of commercial lunar missions is broader, the ambitions are larger, and the infrastructure we are building becomes even more essential,
said Dylan Taylor, Chairman and CEO, Voyager via Business Wire.
Competition opportunities are available through the program until 2036, with a potential extension to 2041 that could increase its funding limit to $15 billion.
Firefly Aerospace, which previously landed its Blue Ghost lander on the Moon in March 2025, noted that the new framework enables repeatable lunar access at scale according to a company statement. To address rising demand, Firefly is expanding its lander architecture while boosting output for its Elytra orbiters and Blue Ghost landers inside a newly enlarged cleanroom capable of holding up to 12 spacecraft.
Awarded lunar deliveries will continue to be fulfilled through November 2033, backed by an additional five-year extension period built upon the original CLPS contract that remains active until November 2028.
Next stop: the Moon. 🚀 We’re partnering with @GoToImpulse on a lunar mission for @NASAMoonBase ! Terran R will launch Helios and lander vehicles to orbit for the first leg of the journey towards humanity’s first permanent lunar outpost. Learn more about the mission:… pic.twitter.com/jydkpvtEjb
Blue Origin Secures Rover Contract for Lunar Exploration
NASA awarded Blue Origin a $94 million base contract, accompanied by a $140 million performance-based option, to deliver the newly revealed PROMISE rover during the MAX POWER aerospace expo. PROMISE stands for Polar Rover for Observation, Mapping, and In-Situ Exploration. The six-wheeled rover is engineered to utilize a nuclear power source, allowing it to function through extended lunar nights and within permanently shadowed regions where water ice is anticipated according to agency technical briefs.
Blue Origin plans to deploy the rover via its Mark 1 lander during an 18-month mission targeted for launch in late 2028 as outlined in mission schedules.
To support cargo transit, NASA also issued six transportation task orders. These awards went to Arrow Science and Technology, Blue Origin, and Impulse Space to integrate and transport Moon Base cargo, test Orbital Transfer Vehicles, and verify proper communication and navigation methods during the journey from Earth orbit to the Moon. In 2028, NASA additionally picked SpaceX for a separate demonstration task to send communications satellites into cislunar space utilizing its Starship launch vehicle.
Sustained Human Exploration Strategy
Agency leadership emphasized that commercial partnerships form the core of current developmental planning. We are building the Moon Base mission by mission,
said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman in a statement released Saturday. When our astronauts return to the Moon, they will arrive with the first elements of the Moon Base already waiting for them on the surface.
More momentum for the Moon Base! NASA has awarded six new launch and in-space transportation task orders to American companies, advancing the capabilities for future missions supporting Moon Base such as CAPSTONE 02, LCRNS, and MoonFall.
Additional agency updates highlighted ongoing work on lunar terrain vehicles developed by industrial partners as part of the campaign to lay the groundwork for a sustained human presence on the Moon.
Earlier coverage: NASA Accelerates Artemis Program to Aim for 2028 Crewed Moon Landing
New awards. New mission updates. More progress toward a Moon Base. We're advancing commercial lunar deliveries, a nuclear-powered rover, launch and orbital transfer services, and infrastructure to support a sustained human presence on the Moon: https://t.co/Yt7oqpvLk5
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