Rocket Lab Challenges NASA’s $700 Million Mars Orbiter Award to Blue Origin

Rocket Lab has formally contested NASA’s selection of Blue Origin as the builder for its next Mars orbiter, filing a protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The agency awarded Jeff Bezos’ spaceflight company $700 million in early September to develop, launch, and operate the Mars Telecommunications Network (MTN).

In a statement posted on X on September 11, Rocket Lab argued that NASA’s decision was inconsistent with congressional eligibility criteria. The company also alleged that the agency conducted an unfair review of its technical proposal, resulting in incorrect assertions and conclusions.

“Procurement standards exist to ensure fair competition and protect public investment,” the California-based firm stated. “We are pursuing this review to ensure those standards are upheld for critical infrastructure that will underpin American exploration at Mars for decades to come.”

The MTN is designed to serve as a vital communications relay between Earth-based controllers and NASA spacecraft operating at the Red Planet. Currently, only two older orbiters handle this role: Mars Odyssey, which launched in 2001, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which lifted off in 2005. Congress provided funding for a replacement in July 2025, and NASA issued a request for proposals the following May.

Although both Blue Origin and Rocket Lab were considered leading candidates, NASA ultimately selected Blue Origin. The contract requires the delivery of the single MTN spacecraft by December 31, 2028, with operations expected to begin in 2030.

The protest mirrors a previous dispute involving Blue Origin. In 2021, the company challenged NASA’s award of the first Artemis lunar lander contract to SpaceX. Although the GAO denied that protest and Blue Origin subsequently lost a court challenge, the company eventually secured a second Artemis lander contract in 2023.