NASA is offering to buy Moon rocks from private companies

NASA has announced it wants to buy Moon rocks from private companies in a bid to kick start lunar mining operations. The space agency is taking proposals from companies on how they will collect rock from the Moon, using robotic surface rovers. NASA then plans to purchase the samples in amounts of 50 to 500 grams for between $15,000 and $25,000. The collection of lunar rock and transfer of ownership to NASA is a proof of concept for conducting space commerce on the Moon, NASA said. In other words, the initiative will help to establish the early principles for how mining operations between'space entrepreneurs' will work, which could help sustain future astronaut missions.