For the first time NASA has asked industry about private missions to Mars

NASA is starting to take its first steps toward opening a commercial pathway to Mars.

This week, the space agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued a new solicitation to the industry titled “Exploring Mars Together: Commercial Services Studies.” This is a request for proposals from the US space industry to tell NASA how they would complete one of four private missions to Mars, including delivering small satellites into orbit or providing imaging services around the red planet.

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