Exploring Mars presents immense challenges due to the vast distance, radiation exposure, and extreme temperatures. Despite these obstacles, NASA is exploring the potential of using commercial services to support future Mars missions, aiming to reduce costs and boost innovation.
Steve Matousek, manager of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s (JPL) Mars Exploration Program advanced studies office, highlighted the complexity of this task at the Small Satellite Conference in Utah, stating, “We don’t yet know how to establish commercial services at Mars.” The agency is working to figure out how private companies could offer services like imagery, transportation, and communications to aid NASA’s scientific missions.
Under NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, the agency could serve as an “anchor tenant,” purchasing services from commercial partners while encouraging these companies to sell their expertise to other international governments and commercial customers. This approach mirrors NASA’s partnerships for services to the International Space Station and its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.
While NASA hasn’t officially adopted commercial services for Mars missions yet, the concept is gaining traction. It could come into play in the 2030s or 2040s. To support this potential shift, NASA is preparing to invest in technologies necessary for Mars exploration, such as landing systems, mobility tools, and instruments.
NASA’s strategy for long-term Mars exploration, outlined in the 2023 draft “Exploring Mars Together,” emphasizes frequent access to Mars, with launches every few years. Given budget limitations, this frequency demands substantial cost reductions. Commercial services could provide updated communication, imaging, and transportation systems, which are vital for supporting future missions.
Nathan Barba, JPL Mars Exploration Program advanced studies office lead systems engineer, stressed that NASA’s partnerships are not only with industry but also with international partners and new scientists. “We’re all coming together to achieve something great,” he said.
As part of this vision, NASA awarded contracts to nine companies to assess the feasibility of providing cargo transportation and services from Mars’ orbit. Ryan Woolley, JPL mission design engineer, explained that these studies focus on Mars orbit rather than landing, as landing on Mars remains a formidable challenge. Companies like Firefly Aerospace, Impulse Space, and Lockheed Martin are working on hosting or delivering small payloads, while others, like Blue Origin and SpaceX, are exploring communications relays and imagery services.
In addition to new services, NASA needs to update Mars’ aging infrastructure. For example, the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been capturing stunning images of the planet since 2006. Enhanced communication and data relay systems will also be crucial for future exploration missions.
The biggest challenge for commercial services lies in consistent, affordable access to Mars. Companies like Relativity Space and Impulse Space are working on innovative solutions. Relativity plans to launch a commercial robotic spacecraft to Mars in 2028, marking an important step toward establishing reliable Mars transportation.
Reliable transportation will be key, with Paul Rishel, senior mission manager at Relativity, noting that “repeated, affordable access to Mars” will be essential for future exploration.
As NASA continues to explore commercial partnerships, the agency looks to leverage private sector expertise to enhance its Mars missions, ultimately pushing the boundaries of space exploration further than ever before.
By Impact Lab
