NASA to pay Colorado-based start-up $1 for collecting moon rocks

NASA will be paying $1 to Colorado-based start-up Lunar Outpost for collecting moon’s rocks. This comes under ncy’s low-cost lunar resource collection program which was anunced earlier this year. As a part of this program, NASA will be paying for ir collection of moon soil between 50-500 grams. 

NASA acting associate administrator Mike Gold in a press conference said " companies will collect samples and n provide us with visual evidence and or data that y’ve been collected, and n ownership will transfer and we will n collect those samples". He added, " objective [of se collection missions] is twofold: re is important policy and precedent that’s being set, both relative to utilization of resources, and expansion of public and private partnerships  beyond Earth orbit to moon".

Read: NASA Anunces Partnerships For Moon Exploration

NASA partners with various companies 

Lunar Outpost is one of three companies that NASA selected as winners. or two were Systems from California, which proposed a $15,000 mission in 2023 and Tokyo-based i, which proposed a pair of $5,000 missions in 2022 and 2023. companies will be paid in three steps: 10 per cent of funds at time of award, or 10 per cent when company launches ir collection craft. remaining 80 per cent will be given when NASA verifies material collected by company. 

Read: NASA To Bring Rock Samples Back To Earth In Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign

During mid October, NASA anunced its partnership with 14 American companies to develop a range of techlogies that will help m to pave way to sustainable Artemis operations on Moon by end of decade. According to reports by AP, NASA's Administrator Jim Bridenstine said, “We're going to enable private sector, but we're also going to enable international partners for biggest, broadest, most diverse, inclusive coalition of research and exploration on surface of Moon in history of humankind”. He added, “But this exploration, it's t about moon or Mars. It's t about human exploration or science. We're bringing it all toger in a way that makes program sustainable”.

Read: 'NASA Was A Disaster Before Us': Trump Takes Credit As X & Astronauts Liftoff For ISS

Also Read: NASA To Launch 'Sentinel-6' Satellite To Track Earth's Rising Sea Level, How To Watch Live

(Im Credits: Unsplash)