NASA Selects Blue Origin As Mars Telecommunications Network Provider (nasa.gov)
(Wednesday September 02, 2026 @03:00AM (BeauHD)
from the ET-phone-home dept.)
- Reference: 0185361380
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/26/09/02/0527234/nasa-selects-blue-origin-as-mars-telecommunications-network-provider
- Source link: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-blue-origin-as-mars-telecommunications-network-provider/
NASA has awarded Blue Origin a contract worth up to $700 million to [1]build and operate a dedicated Mars telecommunications network for current and future missions to the Red Planet. Blue Origin is expected to deliver the spacecraft by the end of 2028, with the network targeted to become operational by 2030. From a press release:
> Blue Origin will design, develop, integrate, launch, and operate the network as a part of the agency's broader space communications and navigation infrastructure. The architecture will consist of a high-performance telecommunications spacecraft orbiting Mars, transmitting science data, imagery, navigation information, and critical mission communications for spacecraft operating on and around the planet.
>
> The award marks a milestone in NASA's strategy to expand communications and navigation services beyond Earth and the Moon, establishing the foundation for sustained exploration of Mars in the coming decades.
[1] https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-blue-origin-as-mars-telecommunications-network-provider/
> Blue Origin will design, develop, integrate, launch, and operate the network as a part of the agency's broader space communications and navigation infrastructure. The architecture will consist of a high-performance telecommunications spacecraft orbiting Mars, transmitting science data, imagery, navigation information, and critical mission communications for spacecraft operating on and around the planet.
>
> The award marks a milestone in NASA's strategy to expand communications and navigation services beyond Earth and the Moon, establishing the foundation for sustained exploration of Mars in the coming decades.
[1] https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-blue-origin-as-mars-telecommunications-network-provider/
Blue Origin making progress (Score:2)
by phantomfive ( 622387 )
Blue Origin has been making progress. They now have a heavy lift rocket in operation.
[1]The launch sequence is unexpectedly beautiful [youtube.com].
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O90WZJALYc
Re: (Score:3)
by Pimpy ( 143938 )
Looks like someone forgot to turn off the hand brake.
Starlink (Score:2)
by SuperDre ( 982372 )
And SpaceX will probably launch their own network too, probably even before Blue Origin has its craft ready. As SpaceX its target is also Mars, and they need to communicate with their Starships and robots, Starlink will be their comms.
Merit? (Score:3)
This choice seems questionable. Even with my limited knowledge of the industry, I know that Blue Origin lags behind. Their crowning achievement thus far is [1]a ten-minute, sub-orbital Katy Perry. [wikipedia.org]
I tracked down [2]the official contract, [sam.gov] but my legalese is a little rusty. Can anyone find the non-delivery clause?
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Origin_NS-31
[2] https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/467fba1f000d4ecaa19f2989b2ddcc8e/view
Re: (Score:2)
I'm betting they'll contract out to SpaceX for the launching to Mars. It makes sense to give a networking contract to the company adjacent to Amazon.
I'll be honest, I'm a little jealous. Setting up interplanetary networks would be a really fun project.
Re: Merit? (Score:3)
Blue origin is kind of the exact opposite of SpaceX -- very top heavy, highly bureaucratic, little to no interest in efficiency, optimization, or cost reduction, no desire to get anything done in a timely manner. While they did land a booster, which is no small feat of engineering, it's only a third of what makes it economically viable: They need to produce the boosters at scale and turn them around quickly after each use, and for that to make any sense they would also need to find or create an economic dem
Re: (Score:2)
As much as it pains me to say it, I don't think Blue Origin is that far behind. They just have a different methodology to SpaceX. Instead of failing fast and often while they iterate, Blue Origin does a lot of testing and then a successful launch. So it's very hard to say exactly where they are in comparison to SpaceX, but we will find out in the next few years when they are supposed to deliver the first crewed lunar lander to NASA.