Space technology and missions are not more monopoly departments of governments. We have seen many new-age entrepreneurs endeavoring beyond the sky. NASA has acknowledged the passion, effort, and determination of these courageous ventures and has decided to partner with 13 companies to work on specific 19 technology projects to help to reach Moon and Mars.
Companies like SpaceX, BlueOrigin, Lockheed Martin and others will work on a project focused on improving spacecraft operation in high temperature, landing rockets vertically on the moon, etc. Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin will work with NASA on a project developing a precise and safe navigation system as well as a fuel cell-based power system for its Blue Moon lander.
The aim IS to design a power source that can last through the lunar night or at least up to two weeks. It is also going to work on engine nozzles for rockets with a liquid propellant that would be well suited for lunar lander vehicles. Elon Musk owned private company SpaceX will focus on moving rocket propellant around safely from vehicle to vehicle in orbit.
It will help to build out its Starship reusable rocket and spacecraft system. The company is also going to work with Kennedy Space Center on refining its vertical landing capabilities to adapt it to work with large rockets on the Moon. Lockheed Martin will research on with the use of solid-state processing to create metal powder-based materials.
These metal powder-based materials will help in operation at a high temp. This company will also look at the project in which autonomous methods for growing and harvesting plants in space. NASA’s goals with these private partnerships are aimed to cut the cost and effort, develop speed and operate crewed space exploration.
