Impulse Space Wins 2 NASA Moon Base Task Orders for Lunar Transport as Missions Start in 2028
Updated
Updated · impulsespace.com · Nov 7
Impulse Space Wins 2 NASA Moon Base Task Orders for Lunar Transport as Missions Start in 2028
3 articles · Updated · impulsespace.com · Nov 7
Summary
Two NASA task orders give Impulse Space access to its full vehicle fleet for Moon Base missions, making it one of the first companies selected to build transport links for a permanent lunar outpost.
The awards cover cislunar and surface cargo delivery using Impulse’s Mira spacecraft, Helios kick stage and throttleable lander, with flights set to begin in 2028 under NASA’s VADR launch-services contract.
For one mission, Impulse will launch a NASA payload on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and use Mira for cislunar deployment options; for another, it will fly on Relativity’s Terran R with Helios and the lander carrying payloads onward.
That second mission also includes a lunar descent test for upsized cargo delivery, extending Impulse’s role from orbital transfer to last-mile transport needed for sustained operations near the Moon’s south pole.
The awards follow NASA’s broader lunar contracting push announced earlier Friday, when the agency opened up to $10 billion in Moon Base delivery work to commercial providers over 10 years.
With China targeting the same region, could NASA's commercial partnerships trigger a territorial dispute over lunar south pole water ice?
Can towering solar arrays truly power a permanent Moon base, or will the harsh lunar night freeze these commercial ambitions?
Will reusing old Mars rover parts compromise NASA's multi-billion dollar hunt for vital rocket fuel in extreme lunar shadows?
NASA’s $14.2 Billion Lunar Logistics Expansion: Inside the 2026 CLPS 2 Contracts, Moon Base Infrastructure, and the New Space Race
Overview
In November 2026, NASA launched the $10 billion CLPS 2 contract, expanding its lunar logistics with eight commercial providers competing for lunar delivery missions. This approach, using firm-fixed-price contracts, shifts operational and financial risk to vendors, driving down average mission costs and encouraging innovation. NASA awarded Blue Origin a major task to deliver the nuclear-powered PROMISE rover—built from Mars rover heritage—to the lunar South Pole, while SpaceX will deploy cislunar communications satellites. These efforts support a rapid buildup of lunar infrastructure, helping the U.S. compete with China and Russia’s lunar ambitions and laying the groundwork for future Mars missions.