NASA’s has selected SpaceX, Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada Corp., Ceres Robotics, and Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc. to participate in Artemis, NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program (CLPS).
According to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, "American aerospace companies of all sizes are joining the Artemis program. Expanding the group of companies who are eligible to bid on sending payloads to the moon's surface drives innovation and reduces costs to NASA and American taxpayers."
NASA's Steve Clarke, deputy associate administrator for exploration in the science directorate, said in a statement "Buying rides to the Moon to conduct science investigations and test new technology systems…enables NASA to do much more, sooner and for less cost, while being one of many customers on our commercial partners' landers."
With a CLPS budget of $2.6 billion, NASA’s Artemis plans include: the first woman, the next man, and a sustainable human presence on the moon within the next ten years.