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NASA has had mixed success with commercial lunar-payloads projects, which

Dec. 28, 2017 by Catherine Pope

NASA has had mixed success with commercial lunar-payloads projects, which offer long-term support for the agency's efforts. The first commercial lunar-payload program that NASA launched was launched over the summer of 2012. The commercial payloads provided NASA with a long-term commitment to the mission.

The agency received the first commercial lunar-payloads contract from SpaceX in August of 2014. The Space Launch System (SLS) program also awarded the SLS Orion spacecraft a contract in October of 2014 to launch the SLS Dragon spacecraft in 2018 and the SLS Dragon cargo spacecraft in 2019.

Last Thursday, NASA presented a new contract to provide a commercial Lunar-Payload Service (LPS) to a team of eight companies from six states. NASA has been building a long-term, multi-year partnership with the companies for more than a decade, and each group is expected to receive a share of some of the money.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the company is interested in providing LPS to companies that build large-scale missions for the space program, and as part of the LPS package, NASA will partner with NASA's commercial lunar vehicle research centers and NASA's commercial lunar lander programs.

NASA's plan for the first four lunar missions is based on the Commercial Crew Space Program, which was launched in 2013. SpaceX announced last week that it's been awarded a $5.8 billion contract to develop the program with six partners.DETROIT, MI -- Detroit Red Wings forward Jaden Schwartz says he's been working with the team on a new contract, per Brian Sciaretta of The Detroit News. Schwartz is a free agent from the Washington Capitals on March 30.

Schwartz, 23, says he has been in contact with the team for five of the past six months. He is looking for more pay than he's getting right now.