And whatever happens during Thursday’s landing attempt, expect more companies to race toward the moon in the years ahead.
NASA is looking to send astronauts to the moon in the coming years, and robotic spacecraft will go there first.
For NASA, buying rides on private spacecraft to take instruments and equipment to the moon is cheaper than building its own vehicles.
Some of the companies that NASA had selected to bid for CLPS missions have already gone out of business.
Among other ambitious business ideas: mining the moon for helium-3 for future fusion power plants on Earth.
Persons:
Peregrine
Organizations:
NASA, Payload Services, International Space