Rocket Lab shares traded higher on Tuesday after reports that NASA plans to buy rocket launches in bulk for its estimated $30 billion project to build a permanent human base on the moon. The strategy aims to secure launch capacity amid rising demand across the space industry.
NASA expects to announce the first round of bulk purchases soon, according to Carlos García-Galán, the agency’s moon base program manager. NASA plans to buy launches on various rockets and assign them to missions, which could include commercial landers heading to the moon.
NASA has not awarded any specific contracts to Rocket Lab, but the company could benefit. An anticipated shift away from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 could create opportunities for other launch providers, and Rocket Lab’s developing Neutron rocket is a potential option for future missions.