{"id":18034,"date":"2019-05-31T22:37:46","date_gmt":"2019-05-31T14:37:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/nasa-picks-first-commercial-ventures-to-deliver-scientific-payloads-to-the-moon\/"},"modified":"2019-05-31T22:37:46","modified_gmt":"2019-05-31T14:37:46","slug":"nasa-picks-first-commercial-ventures-to-deliver-scientific-payloads-to-the-moon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/nasa-picks-first-commercial-ventures-to-deliver-scientific-payloads-to-the-moon\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA picks first commercial ventures to deliver scientific payloads to the moon"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Lunar
An artist\u2019s conception shows a lunar lander with scientific payloads. (NASA Illustration)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Update for 6 p.m. PT July 31:<\/strong> One of the commercial ventures selected to deliver science experiments to the moon\u2019s surface, New Jersey-based Orbit Beyond, is bowing out of the first round of deliveries.<\/p>\n

NASA said Orbit Beyond ran into \u201cinternal corporate challenges\u201d that ruled out being able to launch a lander in 2020 as planned. The company asked to be released from its task order agreement under the terms of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, or CLPS. NASA said it complied with the request.<\/p>\n

Other reports suggested that Orbit Beyond\u2019s difficulties had to do with using technology developed by TeamIndus, the company\u2019s India-based partner. \u201cThe optics, obviously, are not good,\u201d Space News quoted Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, as saying last month during a congressional hearing.<\/p>\n

In this week\u2019s update, NASA said \u201cOrbit Beyond remains a CLPS contract awardee and may be eligible to compete for future CLPS opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Original story from May 31:<\/strong> NASA has chosen three commercial ventures that haven\u2019t yet launched anything into space to deliver science experiments to the moon\u2019s surface, starting next year.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s awards are the first to be announced under the terms of the space agency\u2019s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, or CLPS, which draws from a \u201ccatalog\u201d of flight opportunities offered by nine commercial teams.<\/p>\n

Each team proposed flying specific payloads to the moon, and this summer NASA will determine which experiments will be delivered by which teams. The potential payloads focus on subjects ranging from basic lunar science to precision navigation and solar power generation.<\/p>\n

The first three teams to win contracts are:<\/p>\n