https://www.science.org/content/article/new-fleet-moon-landers-will-set-sail-next-year-backed-private-companies Advertisement * * news * careers * commentary * Journals * Covid-19 Science Science * * * Log in * Become A Member [science] science [sciadv] science advances [sciimmunol] science immunology [scirobotic] science robotics [signaling] science signaling [stm] science translational medicine [spj-cover] science partner journals Quick Search anywhere Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Quick Search in Journals Enter Search Term[ ] Searching: Anywhere AnywhereScienceScience AdvancesScience ImmunologyScience Robotics Science SignalingScience Translational Medicine Advanced Search Search Trending Terms: * covid-19 * climate * science policy * genome editing * batteries Log In Become A Member Quick Search anywhere Enter Search Term[ ] science.org * Custom publishing * collections * videos * podcasts * blogs * visualizations * prizes and awards * authors & reviewers * librarians * advertisers * about * help * * * * * * AAAS Logo * Terms of Service * Privacy Policy * Accessibility * News Home * All News * ScienceInsider * News Features GET OUR E-ALERTS HomeNewsScienceShotsA new fleet of Moon landers will set sail next year, backed by private companies Back To ScienceShots * ScienceShots * Space A new fleet of Moon landers will set sail next year, backed by private companies Firms take the stage as a new era of Moon exploration nears * 17 Sep 2021 * 1:00 PM * ByJoel Goldberg J. Goldberg/Science Share: * Twitter * Linked In * Facebook * Reddit * Wechat * Email Who knew outsourcing could extend to outer space? In some ways, that's the aim of NASA's $2.6 billion initiative meant to galvanize the private sector's development of Moon landers and rovers. The Commercial Lunar Payload Services program has tasked a number of companies--including Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic--with delivering landers to the Moon's surface twice a year. Astrobotic's Peregrine lander, roughly the size of a tree house, is set to blast off this year from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as is Houston-based Intuitive Machines's Nova-C. A second Astrobotic lander, Griffin, is expected to launch in 2023, ferrying the well-equipped, NASA-designed Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover. Its neutron counter, spectrometers, and specialized drill will seek out evidence of water and attempt to identify its origin. Down the line, another Texas-based company, Firefly Aerospace, will deliver tools to study the Moon's interior heat and another to snap the first extraterrestrial photo of Earth's magnetic field. --------------------------------------------------------------------- doi: 10.1126/science.acx9142 Relevant tags: Space About the author Joel Goldberg Twitter Author --------------------------------------------------------------------- More from news 17 Sep 2021 A new fleet of Moon landers will set sail next year, backed by private companies By * Joel Goldberg 17 Sep 2021 Peru's new president is controversial. Here's why scientists have high hopes for him By * Daniel Meza 16 Sep 2021 A huge forest experiment aims to reduce wildfires. Can it unite loggers and environmentalists? By * Warren Cornwall View more Got a tip for Science's news department? Connect Advertisement Latest News Workers on a research vessel 16 Sep 2021By * Science News Staff Biden's vaccine mandates, bad Facebook data, and a doctored portrait A woman milks a cow inside a dark barn 15 Sep 2021By * Andrew Curry Milk fueled Bronze Age expansion of 'eastern cowboys' into Europe Well diggers tapping a volcano in Iceland 15 Sep 2021By * Paul Voosen Forget oil or water. In Iceland, well diggers seek to tap a volcano's magma Sulfolobus archaea 14 Sep 2021By * Kelly Servick Antiaging advice from single-celled creatures: Build better proteins View more Advertisement Sifter Wildfires rage under plumes of smoke in Bairnsdale, Australia 16 Sep 2021By * Rachel Fritts Australian bushfires had widespread impacts across the globe Bernese mountain dog sitting 2 Sep 2021By * David Grimm Does your dog know what you're thinking? a salt shaker spilled on a table 30 Aug 2021By * Rodrigo Perez Ortega Substituting even a bit of regular salt can reduce stroke, heart attack barnacles 26 Aug 2021By * Rachel Fritts New barnacle-inspired paste could stop heavy bleeding in seconds View more Advertisement RecommendedClose November 2018 NASA to pay private space companies for moon rides News 19 Nov 2018 NASA to pay private space companies for moon rides By * Paul Voosen News Feature 9 Sep 2021 NASA-funded startups will soon put a fleet of landers on the Moon By * Paul Voosen November 2020 China set to bring back rocks from the Moon Skip slideshow Follow Us * * * * * * * NEWS * All News * ScienceInsider * News Features * CAREERS * Careers Articles * Find Jobs * Employer Profiles * COMMENTARY * Opinion * Analysis * Blogs * JOURNALS * Science * Science Advances * Science Immunology * Science Robotics * Science Signaling * Science Translational Medicine * Science Partner Journals * AUTHORS & REVIEWERS * Information for Authors * Information for Reviewers * LIBRARIANS * Manage Your Institutional Subscription * Library Admin Portal * Request a Quote * Librarian FAQs * ADVERTISERS * Advertising Kits * Custom Publishing Info * Post a Job * RELATED SITES * AAAS.org * AAAS Communities * EurekAlert! * Science in the Classroom * ABOUT US * Leadership * Work at AAAS * Prizes and Awards * HELP * FAQs * Access and Subscriptions * Order a Single Issue * Reprints and Permissions * Contact Us Follow Us * * * * * * AAAS logo (c) 2021 American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved. AAAS is a partner of HINARI, AGORA, OARE, CHORUS, CLOCKSS, CrossRef and COUNTER. Articles back to top * Terms of Service * Privacy Policy * Accessibility Advertisement # Thank you for reading News fromScience. You have reached your limit of 5 free news stories this month. To gain unlimited access to News fromScience, pleaseLog inor subscribe to News from Science. AAAS Members canLog infor unlimited access. $2.99/Month$25/YearFrequently Asked Questions