NASA Plans 3 CLPS Lunar Missions, Including Orbiter to Replace 17-Year-Old LRO
Updated
Updated · SpaceNews · Aug 15
NASA Plans 3 CLPS Lunar Missions, Including Orbiter to Replace 17-Year-Old LRO
3 articles · Updated · SpaceNews · Aug 15
Summary
Three new CLPS task orders are expected by year-end, including an orbiter imaging service that executives at Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines said would map the moon as a successor to NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
LRO, launched in 2009 and operating under an extended mission through 2028, still functions well but has long been seen by lunar scientists as overdue for replacement to sustain science work and support future landings.
Firefly and Intuitive Machines appear well placed to compete: Firefly has been developing its Ocula lunar imaging service, while Intuitive Machines already operates LRO’s high-resolution camera and ShadowCam on South Korea’s Danuri orbiter.
The orbiter award would come alongside two more lander missions as NASA pushes CLPS toward higher-volume production, after June’s CS-8 awards gave Firefly and Intuitive Machines four lander missions each.
That pipeline feeds into CLPS 2.0, a contract worth up to $10 billion over 10 years, as both companies prepare larger landers capable of carrying from 500 kilograms to multi-ton lunar base cargo.