NASA has issued a contract solicitation for a new Mars-orbiting spacecraft, a procurement valued at $700 million. The spacecraft is intended to serve as a communications relay between Mars and Earth. This acquisition process is anticipated to be highly competitive and potentially controversial.
The funding for this Mars Telecommunications Orbiter (MTO) was appropriated by the U.S. Congress in the 2025 “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The spacecraft's name has since been changed to Mars Telecommunications Network (MTN). Proposals for the MTN are due by June 15, with a contract award expected by October 1.
Procurement Details and Eligibility
NASA stated that the acquisition would be conducted as a “full and open competition.” However, the legislation funding the orbiter included specific eligibility criteria.
It mandated that the spacecraft must be selected from U.S. companies that received funding from the Administration in fiscal year 2024 or 2025 for commercial design studies related to Mars Sample Return, and that had proposed a separate, independently launched Mars telecommunication orbiter supporting an end-to-end Mars Sample Return mission.
This language was mirrored in NASA’s procurement notice, requiring bidders to “demonstrate that the Offeror proposed a separately and independently launched Mars telecom orbiter to support an end-to-end Mars Sample Return mission.” This requirement has raised questions regarding potential preferential treatment for specific companies.
Industry Response and Congressional Interest
The funding for this Mars Telecommunications Orbiter (MTO) was appropriated by the U.S.
Rocket Lab, a company headquartered in Long Beach, California, indicated in its Q2 Investor Update on August 4, 2025, that it was the only commercial provider to have proposed an MTO as part of an end-to-end Mars Sample Return mission. Other companies eligible to bid based on the funding criteria for commercial design studies include Blue Origin, L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, SpaceX, Quantum Space, and Whittinghill Aerospace.
The contract solicitation was released two weeks later than NASA officials indicated at an earlier “Industry Day” event.
Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck stated he was unaware of the reason for the delay but emphasized the urgency of the mission. A source indicated that the delay might be partly due to a letter sent by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) to NASA in early May, which was reportedly interpreted as favorable to Rocket Lab. NASA declined to confirm or release the letter, citing a “blackout” period due to the solicitation's release.
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