NASA has shared new details on an ambitious plan to send humans back to the moon on a regular basis with the goal of eventually traveling to Mars. The intriguing concept centers around a dramatic change in the way that the space agency previously accomplished lunar missions. Rather than building the craft themselves, NASA has selected nine aerospace companies to bid on $2.6 billion worth of contracts involving the creation and execution of lunar missions.
Announcing the companies chosen to participate in the 'Commercial Lunar Payload Services Program' on Thursday, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine indicated that, beyond simply going back to the moon, the endeavor also aims to create something of a new American industry. "We want to be one customer of many customers," he said, "in a robust marketplace between the Earth and the moon." By selecting a number of companies to compete for the prized contracts, the space agency hopes to create an atmosphere of innovation that will allow NASA to "do more than we've ever been able to do before."
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