NASA picks Masten Space Systems to deliver cargo to Moon's South Pole in 2022

NASA has picked Masten Space Systems to deliver and operate eight payloads to the Moon's South Pole in 2022. This will be a part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative as part of the agency's Artemis programme, the US space agency said on Wednesday.

This will help lay the foundation for human expeditions to the lunar surface beginning in 2024.

Masten is the fourth company awarded a lunar delivery contract under CLPS, after NASA announced that three other companies would be tasked with taking payloads back in May, 2019.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

The payloads include nine instruments to assess the composition of the lunar surface, test precision landing technologies, and evaluate the radiation on the Moon.

Masten Space Systems will land these payloads on the Moon with its XL-1 lander, NASA said.

"Commercial industry is critical to making our vision for lunar exploration a reality. The science and technology we are sending to the lunar surface ahead of our crewed missions will help us understand the lunar environment better than we ever have before," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement.

"These CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services ) deliveries are on the cutting edge of our work to do great science and support human exploration of the Moon. I`m happy to welcome another of our innovative companies to the group that is ready to start taking our payloads to the Moon as soon as possible," Bridenstine said.

The payloads have been developed from the two recent NASA Provided Lunar Payloads (NPLP) and Lunar Surface Instrument and Technology Payloads (LSITP) solicitations.