NASA has selected Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos's aerospace company, to develop and operate a telecommunications network for Mars. The contract, valued at up to $700 million, tasks Blue Origin with building, launching, and operating an orbiter to relay scientific data, images, navigation information, and communications for missions on Mars's surface and in orbit around the planet.
The company must deliver the equipment to NASA by December 31, 2028. This network will be critical infrastructure for supporting future human and robotic exploration on Mars, enabling reliable data transmission between surface operations and spacecraft in orbit.