After years of delays, NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon commenced in a big way more than two years ago, starting with the unmanned Artemis 1 in November 2022. The legacy is continuing now with NASA announcing on Thursday that it is awarding new study contracts to nine companies in seven states with a combined total of $24 million. Those companies will develop strategies and technologies for humans to live and work on the Moon.
The beneficiaries include Blue Origin, which is controlled by Amazon and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos. Other companies include Intuitive Machines, Leidos, Lockheed Martin, MDA Space, Moonprint, Pratt Miller Defense, Sierra Space and Special Aerospace Services. They will provide a wide range of scientific and technological services, from developing spacecraft and solving biological problems to figuring out the logistics of advanced space travel.
