NASA has sparked a race to develop the data pipeline to Mars

NASA is transitioning from operating its own Mars data relay orbiters to purchasing connectivity as a service, similar to how it contracts launch and astronaut transport. This shift aims to replace the current patchwork relay network—primarily relying on aging spacecraft like Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and MAVEN—with a mixed infrastructure combining NASA assets and commercial providers. NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program has issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking capability studies to develop an interoperable marketplace for lunar and Mars communications, focusing on end-to-end data transfer from surface assets through orbiters to Earth. The challenge involves overcoming vast distances, latency, solar interference, and fault tolerance requirements. Several major companies have entered the race to provide these next-generation relay services. Blue Origin proposes a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter based on its Blue Ring platform, aiming for deployment as early as 2028. Rocket Lab has presented its own Mars telecom orbiter concept, integral to its Mars Sample Return mission architecture. NASA