Hearing - Leveraging Commercial Innovation for Lunar Exploration: A Review of NASA’s CLPS Initiative

House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics

2025-04-01

Loading video...

Source: Congress.gov

Summary

This meeting focused on NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Initiative, reviewing its progress, challenges, and future direction in leveraging commercial innovation for lunar exploration [ 00:19:07-00:20:05 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Discussions highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships in advancing U.S. leadership in space, fostering a lunar economy, and supporting the Artemis program's goal of returning humans to the moon . Witnesses included representatives from NASA and CEOs of leading commercial lunar service providers.

Themes

Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Initiative

The CLPS initiative aims for frequent and affordable access to the moon by purchasing end-to-end payload delivery services from commercial vendors [ 00:20:05 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. This approach enables scientific discovery, paves the way for human exploration, and fosters a competitive lunar economy with American companies at the forefront [ 00:20:42 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Speakers celebrated recent successful missions by companies like Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines, which have demonstrated advanced technologies and inspired humanity . NASA acknowledges that CLPS involves increased risk, accepting the possibility of mission failures in a "shots on goal" approach, but emphasizes continuous learning and improvement from each attempt . Challenges identified include schedule delays and cost increases, with the Office of Inspector General recommending clearer performance goals and management plans . Looking ahead, there is strong advocacy for "CLPS 2.0" to include block buys to stabilize supply chains, increase mission cadence, and invest in robust lunar infrastructure .

Commercial Partnerships and Innovation

NASA has shifted its procurement model to leverage the growing capabilities of the commercial space industry, acquiring services rather than solely developing hardware in-house . This public-private partnership is considered crucial for American entrepreneurial innovation and for achieving national space goals efficiently . Commercial providers highlighted the extensive support received from various NASA centers, which contribute unique expertise, facilities, and technical capabilities to their missions . These partnerships are proving that space exploration can be conducted at significantly reduced costs compared to past government-led endeavors . The model encourages rapid progress and incentivizes private industry to innovate with supportive bureaucracy .

Competition with China and National Security

The moon is recognized as a strategic and economic "high ground," making U.S. leadership in lunar exploration critical for global influence and national security . Speakers expressed concerns that a lack of decisive action or unstable commitment could allow China to establish a dominant presence on the moon, which would have grave consequences for U.S. economic and national security interests . The CLPS program is viewed as a vital tool in this competition, providing a regular cadence of missions that allow the U.S. to gain repetitions in operating in cislunar space and develop critical infrastructure [ 01:02:08 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. Maintaining a strong science and technology enterprise is deemed essential to outpace competing nations .

VIPER Rover

The Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) was designed to provide crucial scientific data on lunar volatiles, particularly water ice at the moon's south pole . This mission was considered highly important for both scientific understanding and enabling future human exploration by identifying in-situ resources . The VIPER mission was terminated due to cost increases, schedule delays, and the high risk of placing an expensive payload on an untested CLPS lander [ 01:13:17 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. While NASA is exploring options for partners to take VIPER to the moon, concerns remain about the impact of its cancellation on U.S. leadership, especially if China makes initial discoveries regarding lunar ice . Congressional action was suggested to restore funding for VIPER's science and operations [ 01:28:52 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
.

Lunar Infrastructure and Long-term Presence

Establishing reliable infrastructure on the moon, such as power grids, communication networks, and navigation systems, is highlighted as "game-changing" for sustained lunar operations . Initiatives like Astrobotic's Lunar Grid and Intuitive Machines' Near Space Network Services are developing these capabilities, aiming to transform short-term missions into sustainable, years-long enterprises . These developments are not only essential for lunar exploration but also serve as a proving ground for eventual missions to Mars, teaching humanity how to live and operate off-world [ 01:34:14 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. The "moon to Mars" strategy involves building foundational capabilities on the moon that will enable deeper space exploration [ 01:26:30 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
.

Tone of the Meeting

The tone of the meeting was generally optimistic and commendatory towards the CLPS initiative and the work of commercial partners [ 00:19:56 ]

Citation requires full transcript

Sign in to continue

Sign in
. There was a strong sense of shared pride in American achievements in space and a collective commitment to maintaining U.S. leadership . However, this optimism was tempered by serious concerns about national security in the face of competition from China, the impact of potential NASA budget cuts, and the fate of critical science missions like VIPER . Lawmakers and witnesses urged continued and stable support, strategic planning, and robust funding to solidify America's future in space .

Participants

Transcript

Thank you.   you   Okay.   Thank you.   Thank you.
Thank you.   Thank you.   Thank you.
you   Thank you.   Thank you.
Amen.   Thank you.   All right.   Amen.
Thank you.
The Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics will come to order.  Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare recesses of the subcommittee at any time.  Welcome to today's hearing entitled Leveraging Commercial Innovation for Lunar Exploration, a Review of NASA's CLPS Initiative.  I recognize myself for a five minute opening statement.   I would like to welcome everyone to today's subcommittee.  This hearing is, like our last, is focused on NASA's return to the moon this decade.  Today's topic is review of NASA's commercial lunar payload services program, commonly known as CLPS.  The world marveled at the stunning imagery captured last month by the Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost probe and Intuitive Machines Athena probes, lunar sunrises and sunsets, Earth rises, and even a solar eclipse seen from the surface of the moon.   But beyond the beauty was purpose.  These missions are advancing scientific discovery and paving the way for American astronauts to return to the moon, and increasingly so in the future.  Unlike during the Apollo program, NASA is returning to the moon with the help of commercial and international partners.  As we have heard from our last meeting, the Artemis program will be involving NASA purchase services from commercial vendors instead of owning all of its assets itself.   One key area where NASA is applying this strategy is by partnering with commercial providers for science missions around the moon and to its surface.  There is still much to learn about the moon before we return.  Engaging in science missions now will enable our astronauts to conduct better science when they are on the lunar surface.  The rationale for the eclipse is simple.  Instead of developing its own lunar lander, NASA acquires payload delivery services to the lunar surface.   This program also promotes collaboration with U.S.  commercial ventures to support NASA's lunar explanation goals, ensuring that the technology and services are deployed and developed domestically.
For the selection process, NASA chooses from a group of U.S.-based providers for missions to all parts of the moon.  These providers are responsible for supplying end-to-end services from launch to operation   the lander on the lunar surface.  Under CLPS, NASA can be one of multiple payloads sent to the moon, allowing companies to fill excess capacity however they deem appropriate.  Additionally, CLPS provides an opportunity for the other mission directorates within NASA to prove out technologies before humans return to the moon.   However, NASA assumes increased risk by taking this commercial approach.  Not every mission has been successful to date, and several instruments have not been successfully tested as a result.  We have seen providers go out of business, schedule delays, and cost increases associated with clips.   To date, NASA has issued 11 task orders for 50 instruments to be delivered to the lunar surface by 2028.  We've now had four CLPS missions, including two landing attempts in the last month.  I will note all those came from Florida's Space Coast.  These launches give Congress an opportunity to evaluate whether CLPS has operated as intended, whether this program should consider directing future changes to the program.   The subcommittee will also hear lessons learned from NASA and our commercial providers, exploring whether this innovative approach to partnering with commercial sector could be applied to other agencies and areas as well.   We are joined today by three companies that have launched CLPS missions to date, Firefly Aerospace, Aerobatic Technologies, and Intuitive Machines.  Their insights into how they have partnered with NASA as well as their future plans will benefit the subcommittee, and I look forward to hearing their feedback and recommendations.

Sign up for free to see the full transcript

Accounts help us prevent bots from abusing our site. Accounts are free and will allow you to access the full transcript.

Sign up