{"id":17621,"date":"2020-12-03T18:33:50","date_gmt":"2020-12-03T10:33:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/nasa-agrees-to-purchase-moon-rocks-for-1-in-a-deal-that-may-involve-blue-origin\/"},"modified":"2020-12-03T18:33:50","modified_gmt":"2020-12-03T10:33:50","slug":"nasa-agrees-to-purchase-moon-rocks-for-1-in-a-deal-that-may-involve-blue-origin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/nasa-agrees-to-purchase-moon-rocks-for-1-in-a-deal-that-may-involve-blue-origin\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA agrees to purchase moon rocks for $1 in a deal that may involve Blue Origin"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Blue
An artist\u2019s conception shows the uncrewed cargo version of Blue Origin\u2019s Blue Moon lunar lander. (Blue Origin Illustration)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NASA has selected four companies to collect material on the moon and store it up as the space agency\u2019s property, for a total price of $25,001. And one deal stands out: a $1 purchase that may rely on Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos\u2019 Blue Origin space venture.<\/p>\n

Although this sounds like the sort of deal Amazon might have offered on Cyber Monday, neither Seattle-based Amazon nor Kent, Wash.-based Blue Origin is directly involved in the purchase. Instead, NASA accepted a $1 offer from Colorado-based Lunar Outpost, based on the expectation that the venture can set aside a sample on the moon for the space agency.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey propose collecting the lunar material for one dollar \u2014 that\u2019s right, one-point-zero-zero dollars \u2014  following the arrival of the Blue Moon lander to the south pole in 2023,\u201d Phil McAllister, NASA\u2019s director of commercial spaceflight development, told reporters today during a teleconference.<\/p>\n

Previously:<\/strong> Blue Origin scientist fleshes out plan for 2023 cargo delivery to the moon<\/h4>\n

Lunar Outpost CEO Justin Cyrus told GeekWire that his company\u2019s collection system could fly on any lander heading to the moon, and not necessarily on Blue Origin\u2019s Blue Moon lander. But in order to have the $1 deal accepted, Lunar Outpost had to give NASA adequate assurances that it had a technically acceptable plan to collect the sample.<\/p>\n

In response to an email from GeekWire, Blue Origin sent a statement casting some doubt on such assurances. \u201cWe don\u2019t have a contract with Lunar Outpost,\u201d Blue Origin said. \u201cWe would recommend that you check with NASA, as this is inaccurate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lunar Outpost\u2019s dollar sale doesn\u2019t depend on striking a deal with Blue Origin. As Cyrus suggests, the company could make a deal instead with a different space company that\u2019s planning to go to the moon \u2014 for example, Astrobotic or Intuitive Machines, Dynetics or SpaceX.<\/p>\n

And even if Lunar Outpost can\u2019t follow through, McAllister pointed out that the risk to NASA will be minimal. Only 10% of the purchase price has to be paid out initially. Another 10% would be paid when the sample collection system is launched, and the remaining 80% wouldn\u2019t be due until the lunar samples are collected, set aside on the moon and officially transferred to NASA ownership.<\/p>\n

That means NASA will be sending Lunar Outpost an initial payment of 10 cents. \u201cYes, the postage is going to be more than the check,\u201d McAllister told reporters.<\/p>\n