The United States, following China, plans to launch a mission to collect lunar soil. NASA has announced that four companies have won contracts to mine lunar rocks, according to Guancha. Attention is drawn to the amounts of these contracts. For example, one of the companies is ready to implement a mission for just one dollar.
On December 3, the official website of NASA reported that four companies won contracts for the extraction of lunar rocks, according to "Guancha". These are the Japanese company Ispace (Tokyo) and its branch in Luxembourg, as well as the American Lunar Outpost and Masten Space Systems.
It is reported that in addition to the Japanese Ispace, which intends to conduct the mission in 2022, other companies plan to do so a year later. The mission will collect a small amount of lunar surface soil for NASA and provide images and location data. It is noted that the ownership of the collected samples will be transferred to NASA.
Notably, the total amount of contracts between NASA and the four companies is only $ 25,001. Phil McAllister, Director of the commercial space flight training program, expressed surprise at this. "To buy a lunar regolith for $ 25,001 from four companies-I think it's a bit strange," he said.
NASA will have to pay $ 5,000 each to Tokyo and Luxembourg-based Ispace, and $ 15,000 to Masten Space Systems. But Lunar Outpost will receive only $ 1 for its work. Thus, it entered into the lowest-ever contract for collecting lunar soil.
"Lunar Outpost was able to offer a $ 1 price because the company was already planning to collect lunar soil and so the lunar regolith that will need to be given to NASA is essentially a drop in the ocean," McAllister explained.
