NASA awards Jeff Bezos $700M to build the first 'Wi-Fi-style network' around Mars
Blue Origin, a private space agency operated by Jeff Bezos, has been selected by NASA to build a 'next-generation' communications system that serves as a 'Wi-Fi network' of sorts around Mars.
This new infrastructure will prove to be vital for progress towards a Mars expedition, as while it technically doesn't provide internet service on the red planet's surface, it notably expands communications and navigation services between Mars and Earth, laying the foundations for sustained exploration in the near future.
As a sign of its commitment NASA has provided as much as $700 million for this deal, with Jeff Bezos' company expected to complete the 'high-performance Mars telecommunications orbiter' by December 31, 2028 at the very latest.
NASA's Artemis missions are finally opening up the possibility for an extended human presence in space once again with a long-awaited landing on the Moon, and this new Blue Origin partnership could extend those fortunes to Mars too with many astronauts dreaming about reaching the planet for the first time in history.
How will this telecommunications orbiter work?
According to NASA's official release on the new partnership, Blue Origin's latest project would "enable reliable, high-bandwidth communications and navigation services for current and future Mars missions."
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It will be implemented as a cog in NASA's wider space infrastructure line up, with the orbiter consisting of a "high-performance telecommunications spacecraft orbiting Mars, transmitting science data, imagery, navigation information, and critical mission communications for spacecraft operating on and around the planet."
Right now it's quite difficult for NASA to receive regular and consistent communications from Mars due to its distance from Earth, yet this potentially vital piece of infrastructure would serve as a pathway for that data to be transmitted, almost like a Wi-Fi network that takes your information from one computer to another.
Will this increase the chances of a manned mission to Mars?
While the existence of this project casts an eye towards the future of Mars exploration by NASA, it's likely something that will happen in decades rather than years with the Moon remaining the current focus.
Not only is the lunar surface a far easier prospect when it comes to distance, but it's something that NASA has obviously achieved before – albeit over half a century ago – and has been concretely building towards for a number of years now with several Artemis missions already under its belt.
It's likely that we see the creation of a permanent base on the Moon before NASA even begins to properly prepare for any potential Mars missions, yet the Blue Origin project remains an important stepping stone in understanding more about the big red planet.
Additionally, NASA still has to solve the unavoidable issue of preservation when it comes to a Mars mission, as current technology would result in an estimated travel time of around six months each way which will obviously be challenging, if not currently impossible from a supplies perspective.
Scientists have managed to experiment with a new form of food that is created from recycled plastic bottles, but there remain concerns surrounding health risks associated with extended stays in space that persist in the eyes of NASA.