NASA, building on successful partnerships with private companies to resupply the International Space Station, is looking to private entrepreneurs to help exploit resources on the moon.
Now the US space agency is proposing private companies take advantage of NASA's extensive know-how, its engineers and access to its installations to help design and build lunar robots.
The moon proposal - dubbed CATALYST (Cargo Transportation and Landing by Soft Touchdown) - will get no US government economic help.
Recent missions in the moon's orbit have revealed evidence of water and other interesting substances on the moon, explained Jason Crusan, director of NASA's advanced exploration systems.
"But to understand the extent and accessibility of these resources, we need to reach the surface and explore up close.
"Commercial lunar landing capabilities could help prospect for and utilise these resources", permitting both commercial and research activities, he said.
"As NASA pursues an ambitious plan for humans to explore an asteroid and Mars, US industry will create opportunities for NASA to advance new technologies on the moon," NASA official Greg Williams said.
In 2013 NASA reached an agreement with Bigelow Aerospace to develop commercial sector involvement with the space agency, especially focused on plans to build a lunar base.
Founded by US billionaire Robert Bigelow, the company offers inflatable space modules.
These partnerships work "very well in lower orbit", said Bigelow's Michael Gold, referring to the resupply contracts at the International Space Station.
"There is no reason it won't work just as well on the moon," he told AFP.
"I think there is a great commercial potential on the moon," he added, citing significant reserves of helium-3, which is rare on earth and could be developed into a clean energy fuel ideal for nuclear fusion.
The lunar soil is also rich in coveted rare earth elements: 17 chemicals in the periodic table that are in increased demand because they are heavily used in everyday electronics.
