NASA advances Artemis lunar program with new lander contracts, nuclear rover, and adjusted spacesuit requirements

NASA has selected eight companies for a 10-year, $10 billion follow-on to its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program and awarded approximately $1.3 billion in task orders for its Moon Base effort, including a nuclear-powered rover managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Additionally, NASA has scaled back performance requirements for Axiom Space's lunar spacesuit to a simplified 'sortie suit' to maintain the 2028 crewed moon landing timeline, deferring a more complex exploration suit amid schedule delays. The agency has also opened applications for its next class of astronauts, seeking individuals who could live and work on the Moon and help pioneer missions to Mars.