NASA has chosen Blue Origin to build, launch and run a $700 million spacecraft that will provide a Mars telecommunications network, a decision that has sparked a formal protest from rival firm Rocket Lab. The agency announced the award earlier this month, making Blue Origin the sole contractor for the new Mars orbiting communications platform.
Rocket Lab, which had bid for the contract, lodged a protest with the U.S. Government Accountability Office on Friday, arguing that the procurement process was flawed. The protest follows a series of public comments from the company that it was dissatisfied with the award outcome.
Under the contract, Blue Origin will deliver a spacecraft capable of orbiting Mars and relaying data between the planet and Earth’s ground stations. The project is part of NASA’s broader effort to establish a robust communications infrastructure for future Martian missions.
While the details of the protest remain under review, the decision marks a significant milestone in NASA’s push to expand its presence on the Red Planet. The outcome also highlights the competitive nature of space‑technology contracts in the United States.
<small>Source: Ars Technica — read the original story there.</small>
