For decades, NASA built and operated its own relay orbiters and spacecraft to transmit valuable data back to Earth. Now, the agency is shifting toward purchasing connectivity as a service, similar to its approach with launch and astronaut transportation. This strategic pivot has ignited a competitive race among major players vying to provide the critical data link for future Mars missions. The stakes are high—it’s not just about a single contract but securing the essential communications pipeline to Mars.
This new model will blend NASA’s existing assets with commercial infrastructure, gradually replacing the current patchwork relay network. Today, orbiters like the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and MAVEN collect data from rovers and landers, then relay it to Earth via the Deep Space Network’s massive antennas. While these relay spacecraft remain operational, they were never designed to serve as a permanent backbone. NASA’s latest planetary mission review highlights MAVEN’s crucial role as a relay and outlines steps to extend its service into the early 2030s. However, these aging systems will eventually degrade.
Simultaneously, NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program, which oversees the Deep Space Network, is exploring ways to supplement these aging assets. A recent request for proposals seeks capability studies—not immediate hardware purchases—to establish a “lunar trunkline” between the moon and Earth, as well as end-to-end Mars communications. The goal is to create an interoperable marketplace where NASA can be one of many customers rather than the sole operator.
The challenge is immense. Any proposed architecture must account for the vast distances between Earth, the moon, and Mars, along with long latency periods, solar interference, and strict fault-tolerance requirements. NASA is soliciting plans to assess how industry leaders might tackle these obstacles before moving forward with procurement.
While it’s unclear which companies are submitting proposals, several have already positioned themselves as contenders. Blue Origin recently revealed a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter based on its Blue Ring platform, designed to support NASA missions as early as 2028. Rocket Lab has also promoted its own Mars telecom orbiter concept, framing it as a key component of its Mars Sample Return strategy.
In 2024, NASA’s Mars Exploration Program funded 12 commercial studies, including three focused on next-generation relay services, awarded to SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, and Blue Origin. SpaceX’s proposal likely involves adapting its Starlink Earth-orbit satellites for Mars communications.
The long-term vision is to evolve NASA’s planetary exploration efforts from purely scientific missions to establishing a sustained human presence on the moon and, eventually, Mars. This shift underscores the growing role of commercial partnerships in shaping the future of space exploration.