Rocket Lab is contesting NASA’s decision to award Blue Origin a $700 million contract to develop the Mars Telecommunications Network (MTN). The California-based company has filed a formal protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), arguing that NASA’s decision did not adhere to the eligibility criteria set by Congress and made inaccurate claims during Rocket Lab’s technical review.
The MTN orbiter is crucial for communication between mission controllers on Earth and various spacecraft studying Mars, as the existing orbiters, Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, are both outdated. Congressional funding for the new orbiter was approved in July 2025, and NASA issued a proposal request that drew substantial interest from industry players.
Blue Origin is tasked with delivering the MTN by the end of 2028, with the orbiter expected operational by 2030. Rocket Lab is emphasizing the need for fair competition to ensure accountability in public investments for space exploration. This isn’t the first time Blue Origin has protested a NASA contract award, having previously contested a selection favoring SpaceX for the Artemis moon lander project.
