San Antonio Space Company Partners with NASA for Lunar Construction Projects

San Antonio Space Company Aims for the Moon

Exciting news is coming from San Antonio, where a local space startup is gearing up to play a vital role in future NASA moon missions. Astroport Space Technologies, based at Port San Antonio, has announced partnerships with two Colorado companies, Orbit Fab and ispace Technologies U.S., in a bid to develop technologies that will enable construction on the moon.

Building Blocks of the Moon

Founded in 2020, Astroport has set its sights on leveraging lunar soil, also known as regolith, to build structures on the moon. According to Sam Ximenes, the founder and CEO of Astroport and its parent company XArc, these collaborations mark a “significant step forward in our mission to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon.” With over three years of receiving NASA grants for small businesses and technology transfers, the company has witnessed steady growth. Currently, it employs 15 people and has expanded its operations to locations in Midland, Luxembourg, and Australia.

A New Frontier in Construction

Through its partnership with Orbit Fab, Astroport has landed its first commercial customer looking for lunar construction services. Ximenes explained that the goal is to build a private landing facility on the lunar surface, likely done through a public-private partnership that could provide services to NASA as well. He likened the vision for Astroport to how San Antonio is known for its maintenance and repair operations—only this time it’s focused on building ^{lunar infrastructure}.

The company aims to utilize fleets of autonomous robots that will employ molten lunar soil and 3D printing technology to create essential structures, roads, landing pads, and even spacecraft refueling stations on the moon. “Things like this might feel far off, but we’re already taking steps to make them happen,” Ximenes said. The collaboration will focus on developing the necessary technologies and conducting demonstration missions in the coming years.

Lunar Refueling Capabilities

With a keen eye on the future, Astroport’s partnership with Orbit Fab is all about creating the lunar infrastructure needed for refueling spacecraft in space. According to Daniel Faber, the CEO of Orbit Fab, this alliance could help unveil the myriad opportunities that the moon presents for scientific discovery and economic growth.

Partnering for Exploration

Astroport is also teaming up with iSpace-U.S., a lunar lander company, to send Astroport’s scientific instruments to the moon’s surface via their APEX 1.0 lander. This partnership will allow researchers to analyze soil composition and bedrock depth, essential data that could inform future construction efforts on the moon.

NASA Support and Future Projects

Astroport recently received an impressive $1.3 million from NASA as part of the broader Artemis program, which is targeting the establishment of a moon base and aspirations to eventually send humans to Mars. The funding will help support the development of Astroport’s “Lunatron” furnace-nozzle, which fabricates bricks from lunar soil; the “Surveyorbot,” designed to measure essential geological characteristics; and advanced operational concepts for building launch and landing pads.

Heading to the Moon

Don’t forget, Astroport has also secured a ticket aboard a SpaceX Starship for a future moon mission. They are developing a specialized “sieving and grain separation” instrument, part of the Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover program, with the launch currently slated for mid-2026.

Other San Antonio Excursions to the Moon

Interestingly enough, Astroport isn’t alone in preparing for lunar exploration. Another San Antonio organization, the Southwest Research Institute, is also aiming for the moon with its Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder, expected to launch aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander.

The Future is Bright

The endeavors of Astroport and its partners signal a new era in lunar exploration and construction, highlighting a spirit of collaboration and innovation. As we keep a close watch, we can certainly say that the journey to making the moon a more accessible frontier is all about teamwork, ingenuity, and a bit of Texan spirit. San Antonio is proving that there’s no boundary to where ideas and determination can take us!