REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR LUNAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PAYLOADS FOR EXPANDED LUNAR LANDING OPPORTUNITIES

On March 24th, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will be unveiling an unprecedented approach to increase lunar landings to a near-monthly landing cadence starting in 2027 via the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. This will dramatically expand the number of payloads flying to the Moon and unlock a drastic increase in science, technology and economic opportunities that will strongly benefit future exploration and humanity. This represents a transformative leap for commercial companies, universities, and research institutions in the U.S. and across the world. Humanity will have repeated and regular opportunities to get payloads manifested to land on the Moon across 10 CLPS deliveries per year.

This Request for Information (RFI) will inform how NASA approaches filling government-provided payload allocations on these numerous new CLPS deliveries in 2027, 2028 and beyond. If a payload is selected by NASA to fly on CLPS, NASA will pay for the launch, landing and surface mobility of payloads on the lunar surface and shall have its CLPS landing providers integrate payloads into their systems, with CLPS partners handling payload integration. CLPS will provide power, communications, thermal regulation, and potential survive-the-night capabilities, if a lander has a Radioisotope Heating Unit onboard. Payload providers will have multiple opportunities to manifest payloads aboard CLPS landers.

This RFI requests potential payload details that can be provided to NASA and potentially shared globally via an opt-in approach to a public Lunar Payload Database. Of greatest interest to NASA would be payload teams that are self-funded and can deliver their completed flight units to CLPS and perform their own operations while the payload is on the lunar surface. NASA’s approach to working with payload providers will simplify the broader launch, landing and surface deployment approach for any payloads that aspire to land on the Moon.

Responding to this RFI via the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) system is open to people across the world. As NASA intends to share information about opted-in payloads via the Lunar Payload Database, this allows for broader interconnections in the growing lunar economy, connecting payload teams, funders, and CLPS delivery providers, among others.

NASA will evaluate RFI responses and additionally provide an option for RFI respondents to list their proposed payloads on a public database, including both payloads seeking flight opportunities as well as listing the payload sponsor.

This Lunar Payloads RFI seeks responses broadly from industry, universities, non-profit organizations, and individuals, including foreign entities; NASA centers, Federal Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory; and other U.S. federal, state, local, tribal government agencies. Responses are subject to the restrictions placed on NASA by SEC. 526 of the ‘‘Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024’’ and all subsequent Acts that prohibit bilateral relationships with China. Details of that restriction are at: https://www.congress.gov/118/plaws/publ42/PLAW-118publ42.pdf

This National Aeronautics and Space Administration Request for Information (RFI) does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will take action in this matter.

See the following attachment for full details: Final_3-24-2026 RFI for LUNAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PAYLOADS FOR EXPANDED LUNAR LANDING OPPORTUNITIES.pdf