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NASA unveils plans to return to the moon, possibly in 2019

ORLANDO, Fla. — NASA announced plans Thursday detailing nine U.S. companies that will bid on future mission to the moon and eventually Mars.

The companies will bid on contracts to build science and technology payloads for NASA that will be used to study the Moon’s surface.

The companies named by NASA are:
Astrobotic Technology, Inc.: Pittsburgh
Deep Space Systems: Littleton, Colorado
Draper: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Firefly Aerospace, Inc.: Cedar Park, Texas
Intuitive Machines, LLC: Houston
Lockheed Martin Space: Littleton, Colorado
Masten Space Systems, Inc.: Mojave, California
Moon Express: Cape Canaveral, Florida
Orbit Beyond: Edison, New Jersey

NASA officials announced the mission to the moon could launch as early as next year.

“Today’s announcement marks tangible progress in America’s return to the moon’s surface to stay,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “The innovation of America’s aerospace companies, wedded with our big goals in science and human exploration, are going to help us achieve amazing things on the moon and feed forward to Mars.”

Proposals for instruments and technology for these missions will need to be submitted to NASA by the companies in January, officials said.

NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) contracts will set aside $2.6 billion in funding to the companies selected over the next 10 years.