← Back to the board
Issue file · activeTracking since Oct 31 · 11 articles · 8 outlets
NASA awards first Moon Base contracts under Isaacman's revised Artemis plan
Tracking: Artemis restructuring and Moon Base programNASA's revised Artemis plan under Administrator Isaacman, including the Artemis III 2027 low Earth orbit test combining SLS/Orion with Starship and Blue Moon landers, the multi-phase Moon Base program (~$10B per phase, 21 landings), the 2028 crewed landing on Artemis IV, SLS's future, human landing system contracts with SpaceX and Blue Origin, and congressional authorization and oversight of cost, schedule and safety.
Space
Articles · 14 days
- Earliest seen
- Oct 31
- NASASpaceflight · Saturday, Oct 31
- Articles · 30d
- 11
- 3.7 per story
- Outlets
- 8
- Most: NASASpaceflight (3)
- Hill · 30d
- 0
- None in 30 days or ahead
- Contracts · 30d
- 2
- $39M awarded, 90d
- Momentum
- 0.3
- Articles ▲8 vs prior week
Activity
30 days back, 14 ahead · hollow = scheduledWhat's happening
Updated 1h agoNASA this month raised CLPS 1.0 to $4.2 billion, created a CLPS 2.0 contract vehicle with a $10 billion ceiling and eight eligible companies, and awarded Blue Origin $94 million (plus a $140 million option) for the PROMISE rover delivery. It also issued about $1.3 billion in VADR launch task orders for Moon Base Phase One and moved SLS toward a near-Block 1 configuration while halting Mobile Launcher 2 work. Next is a Marshall solicitation for Moon Base demonstrations under NextSTEP-3, with responses due January 4, 2027.
Latest
4d agoOur first signal
Hill
No policymaker activity in the window.
Contracts
3 contractsCLPS 1.0 raised to $4.2B and CLPS 2.0 set at a $10B ceiling over ten years; about $1.3B in VADR task orders; $94M PROMISE award to Blue Origin with a $140M option; Marshall NextSTEP-3 Moon Base solicitation due Jan. 4, 2027; smaller awards to Axiom ($16M) and Modulate.
- Open solicitations
- 1
- Awarded, 90 days
- $39M
Top vendors: Axiom Space, CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Modulate Space Corporation
Pressure
3 articlesRedwire backs NASA's two-step procurement; some Mars scientists oppose repurposing the Mars rover test article for the Moon; Canada's view on Canadarm3's future under the new plans is mixed.
Who covered it, when
A dot per article · ringed = earliest in our sourcesForces at work
share of articles- Procurement & funding11 · 79%NASA expanded CLPS, made first Moon Base awards, issued VADR task orders, opened a NextSTEP-3 solicitation, and shifted SLS toward near-Block 1 while stopping Mobile Launcher 2 work.NASA · Jared Isaacman · Blue Origin · Redwire
- Public opinion3 · 21%NASA is promoting Moon Base with a $1 million student challenge, the MAX POWER expo and CAPEWEEK; Isaacman says Artemis III needs three sequential launches, with SLS committed only after Blue Moon is in orbit.Jared Isaacman · NASA
What's next
Times ETRFPNASA MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER3d agoNASA Marshall Space Flight Center issued solicitation M2M-MSFC-0001 for Moon Base demonstrations under NextSTEP-3 Appendix B, with no set-aside and responses due January 4, 2027.Closes in 50 daysNextSTEP-3SpaceNASA awards first Moon Base contracts under Isaacman's revised Artemis planLifecycle16 linked
In the news
11 articles4d agoArs Technica SpaceOriginalNASA's secret weapon in the lunar space race may be ... procurement reform? 4d agoNASASpaceflightEarliestOriginalIsaacman lays out SLS path to the 2030s 5d agoSpaceQOriginalNASA updates Moon Base CLPS program as Canada weighs Canadarm3’s future 5d agoSpace Policy OnlineOriginalNASA Shares Moon Base Progress, Contract Awards 6d agoSpace.comOriginalNASA just launched a $1 million Moon Base Student Challenge to award cash prizes to students that solve lunar base problems 6d agoNASA NewsMAX POWER: NASA’s Inaugural Aerospace Expo Ignites America’s Future 6d agoNASA Office of Inspector GeneralMAX POWER: NASA’s Inaugural Aerospace Expo Ignites America’s Future 6d agoAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and AstronauticsNASA Advances Lunar Base Plans With New Commercial Partnerships 6d agoSpace.comOriginalNASA unveils $10 billion in moon base contracts, new lunar missions and the 'PROMISE' of a nuclear-powered rover 7d agoNASASpaceflightNASA’s Moon Base plan gains a PROMISE Oct 31NASASpaceflightOriginalIsaacman outlines Artemis III multi-launch checkout sequence and Blue Origin priority
Contracts
3RFPNASA MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER3d agoNASA Marshall Space Flight Center issued solicitation M2M-MSFC-0001 for Moon Base demonstrations under NextSTEP-3 Appendix B, with no set-aside and responses due January 4, 2027.Closes in 50 daysNextSTEP-3SpaceNASA awards first Moon Base contracts under Isaacman's revised Artemis planLifecycle16 linked AwardJohnson Space CenterOct 22NASA Johnson Space Center awarded Axiom Space a $16 million delivery order for production, testing, delivery and sustainment of sortie suit hardware under XEVAS.$16M obligatedXEVAS contract (delivery order 80JSC027FA005)Axiom SpaceSpaceNASA awards first Moon Base contracts under Isaacman's revised Artemis planLifecycle2 linked AwardGlenn Research Center (inferred from contract number prefix 80GRC)Sep 30NASA awarded Modulate Space Corporation contract 80GRC026C0017 to develop a minimum viable 5G-NR user equipment and network-in-a-box for subsequent lunar missions.$23M obligated80GRC026C0017Modulate Space CorporationSpaceNASA awards first Moon Base contracts under Isaacman's revised Artemis planLifecycle2 linked