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<ul><li>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (<keyword id="6360409" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nasa">NASA</keyword>) has awarded contracts to four companies to collect dust from the Moon’s surface, and it’s paying one of them just $1 for the whole mission. </li><li>As per the payment plan, <keyword id="10379874" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="lunar-outpost-of-golden">Lunar Outpost of Golden</keyword> received 10 cents on getting the contract and will get another 10 cents after the mission launch. The full payment will only come in after it delivers the samples to NASA.</li><li>In comparison, the largest contract awarded to Masten Space Systems is worth $15,000.</li></ul>The US space agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), had doled out contracts to four companies on December 3 to collect samples from the Moon. One of these four companies, Lunar Outpost of Golden in Colorado, is only getting paid $1. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Company </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Contract value </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Expected launch </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Location of collection </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Masten Space Systems, Mojave </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">$15,000 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2023 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Lunar South Pole </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">ispace Europe, Luxembourg </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">$5,000 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2023 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Lacus Somniorum (northeastern side of the Moon) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">ispace Japan, Tokyo </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">$5,000 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2022 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Lunar South Pole </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Lunar Outpost of Golden, Colorado </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">$1 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2023 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Lunar South Pole </td></tr></tbody></table> "We think it's very important to establish the precedent that the private sector entities can extract, can take these resources but NASA can purchase and utilise them to fuel not only NASA's activities, but a whole new dynamic era of public and private development and exploration on the Moon," said NASA’s acting associate administrator for international and interagency relations, Mike Gold. <div type="image" title="lunar samples apollo_edited" msid="79566686" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt collecting samples from the moon during the Apollo 17 mission using a lunar rake in December 1972&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> NASA’s payment system for <keyword id="10379875" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="lunar-samples">lunar samples</keyword> NASA will not make the entire payout in a lump sum. Only 10% of the proposed award will be given once the contract is awarded, and another 10% after the launch of the respective missions. The remaining 80% will only be paid once the mission is completed in its entirety and the <keyword id="1687002" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="moon-dust">Moon dust</keyword> has been handed over to NASA. Comparison of payments between the largest and smallest contracts to collect samples from the Moon: <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Stage </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Payment to Lunar Outpost of Golden </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Payment to Masten Space Systems </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">On getting the contract </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">10 cents </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">$1,500 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">On mission launch </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">10 cents </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">$1,500 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">On completing the mission </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">80 cents </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">$12,000 </td></tr></tbody></table> “NASA’s payment is exclusively for the lunar regolith. The agency will determine retrieval methods for the transferred lunar regolith at a later date,” the agency said in a statement. On a mission to collect Moon dust These companies will send unmanned rockets to the Moon to collect a small amount of lunar regolith — or dust from the surface of the Moon. They will have to provide NASA with imagery of the collection and hand over the collection material. <div type="image" title="Apollo-10084-regolith_edited" msid="79566774" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Sample of lunar regolith collected during the Apollo 11 mission&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Aside from ispace Europe, the other three companies will be collecting lunar samples from the Moon’s South Pole. This is the same area where the Indian Space Research Organisation (<keyword id="6358064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="isro">ISRO</keyword>) attempted to explore with their lander Vikram during the Chandrayaan-2 mission but was unsuccessful. <div type="image" title="south pole_edited" msid="79566840" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Orbital perspective of the lunar South Pole&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> According to Gold, these samples will play a key role in NASA’s upcoming Artemis mission, which will carry humans to the Moon. "We must learn to generate our own water, air and even fuel. Living off the land will enable ambitious exploration activities that will result in awe inspiring science and unprecedented discoveries," he said. All of the learnings will also go a long way in gaining a better understanding on how NASA could carry out its next mission — to send humans to Mars. "Human mission to Mars will be even more demanding and challenging than our lunar operations, which is why it's so critical to learn from our experiences on the Moon and apply those lessons to Mars," Gold remarked. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rbi-bars-public-and-cooperative-banks-from-doling-of-dividends-for-a-second-time-adds-to-the-three-year-drought-of-payouts/articleshow/79565357.cms">RBI bars public and cooperative banks from doling of dividends for a second time — adds to the three-year drought of payouts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rbi-has-its-eye-on-sbi-too-as-governor-das-explains-why-hdfc-bank-got-the-whip/articleshow/79562938.cms">RBI has its eye on SBI too as governor Das explains why HDFC Bank got the whip</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/pm-modi-hopeful-that-covid-19-vaccine-will-be-available-in-next-few-weeks-elderly-and-frontline-healthcare-workers-will-be-the-first-in-line/articleshow/79562790.cms">PM Modi hopeful that COVID-19 vaccine will be available in next few weeks — elderly, and frontline healthcare workers will be the first in line</a>

Moon dust for $1 — that’s all NASA is paying one of the companies selected to collect lunar samples

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Moon dust for $1 — that’s all NASA is paying one of the companies selected to collect lunar samples

Prabhjote Gill

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