Rocket Lab Protests NASA's $700 Million Mars Contract Award to Blue Origin

Rocket Lab has filed a formal protest with the Government Accountability Office regarding NASA's decision to award Blue Origin a contract worth up to approximately $700 million. The contract tasks Blue Origin with the design, development, integration, launch, and operation of a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, which will serve as a communications relay for missions to the red planet. NASA issued the award in early September following a request for proposals in May.

Rocket Lab claims that NASA's decision was inconsistent with eligibility criteria mandated by Congress. The company further alleged that the agency's review of its technical volume was punitive and based on incorrect assertions and conclusions. Blue Origin responded by stating its confidence in the strength of its proposal and the rigor of the selection process. The company warned that the protest could delay the mission's 2028 launch goal, which would risk the timely deployment of the capability due to limited Mars launch windows.

Blue Origin's design for the orbiter is based on its Blue Ring spacecraft, which utilizes hybrid solar electric and chemical propulsion. Tory Bruno, president of Blue National Security, stated that the hardware is ready for the mission. This dispute follows a history of procurement tensions; Blue Origin previously protested a lunar lander contract awarded to SpaceX in 2021, while Rocket Lab previously expressed dissatisfaction with NASA's rejection of its Mars Sample Return proposal.