---
title: "NASA Awards Lunar Transportation Work to Commercial Providers"
id: 219593
type: "post"
slug: "nasa-awards-lunar-transportation-work-to-commercial-providers"
author: "NSE"
published: "2026-11-09T05:00:00+00:00"
modified: "2026-11-09T00:54:03+00:00"
canonical: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2026/11/09/nasa-awards-lunar-transportation-work-to-commercial-providers/"
markdown_url: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2026/11/09/nasa-awards-lunar-transportation-work-to-commercial-providers.md"
description: "NASA announced six lunar transportation task orders worth approximately $1.3 billion on November 7, 2026. The awards went to Arrow Science and Technology…"
language: "en-US"
category:
  - "Commercial Space"
  - "Government Space"
  - "Space Economy"
post_tag:
  - "Blue Origin"
  - "Cislunar"
  - "Impulse Space"
  - "Lunar"
  - "NASA"
---

# NASA Awards Lunar Transportation Work to Commercial Providers

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/8d473ef6-f2e8-4ccb-9f30-386b7f794c7a.png?resize=696%2C464&ssl=1)

[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/) announced six lunar transportation task orders worth approximately $1.3 billion on November 7, 2026. The [awards](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-awards-moon-base-transportation-technology-science-projects/) went to Arrow Science and Technology, [Blue Origin](https://www.blueorigin.com/), and Impulse Space.

The work combines launch services with transportation after a spacecraft reaches orbit. Orbital transfer vehicles use their own propulsion to move payloads toward their assigned destinations, extending the delivery process beyond the launch rocket’s initial flight.

[Impulse Space confirmed](https://www.impulsespace.com/updates/impulse-space-nasa-moon-base) that it received two firm-fixed-price task orders under [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare program. Its missions are scheduled to begin in 2028.

For the first assignment, Impulse will serve as prime contractor and work with [SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/) on a Falcon 9 launch carrying a [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/) payload. The task order includes an option involving Mira spacecraft for alternative payload deliveries in cislunar space, the region encompassing Earth and the Moon.

The second assignment uses [Relativity Space](https://www.relativity-space.com)’s Terran R rocket. It will carry Impulse’s Helios stage and lander into orbit, after which the Impulse vehicles will continue the transportation sequence.

Helios will operate as a propulsion stage. The lander will deploy NASA payloads into designated cislunar orbits and then perform a descent profile to test cargo delivery toward the lunar surface.

The two assignments draw on different parts of Impulse’s spacecraft fleet. Mira supports maneuvering, payload hosting, and deployment; Helios provides an additional propulsion stage; and the lander handles the planned descent demonstration.