NASA announced six lunar transportation task orders worth approximately $1.3 billion on November 7, 2026. The awards went to Arrow Science and Technology, Blue Origin, 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 that it received two firm-fixed-price task orders under NASA’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 on a Falcon 9 launch carrying a NASA 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’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.
