NASA faces a crucial choice on a Mars spacecraft—and it must decide soon
Summary
Ars Technica analyzes NASA's upcoming decision on selecting a Mars telecommunications orbiter, including whether to add scientific instruments and how congressional funding and procurement rules shape the competition. The piece highlights competing proposals from Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and others, as well as political and regulatory hurdles that could affect a 2028 Mars launch window.