Blue Origin has revealed its concept for a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter (MTO), entering a burgeoning field alongside Rocket Lab and Lockheed Martin as companies vie to enhance communications infrastructure for future Mars missions. The announcement highlights a proactive push by private aerospace firms, even as SpaceX remains notably absent from the fray, opting instead for its own ambitious Martian connectivity plans.
The momentum behind these proposals traces back to recent federal initiatives under the Trump administration, including a budget reconciliation often referred to as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which allocates approximately $700 million toward developing an MTO—a specialized satellite orbiting Mars to facilitate reliable, high-bandwidth communications between Earth and the Red Planet.
This funding aims to support NASA’s goals for sustained human and robotic presence on Mars, building on a concept that isn’t entirely new.
Indeed, the original MTO mission, planned for a 2009 launch, was intended to deliver interplanetary internet capabilities but was canceled in 2005 to prioritize other Mars endeavors, such as the Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity rovers.
Now, in 2025, the administration is reviving the idea, prompting unsolicited proposals from industry leaders ahead of any formal NASA requests for information.
Blue Origin’s design evolves from its in-development Blue Ring spacecraft, a versatile space tug featuring dual roll-out solar arrays for power and hybrid electric-chemical propulsion to widen Mars transfer opportunities.
For communications, the proposal includes multiple steerable high-rate links, bolstered by deployable Ultra-High Frequency satellites in low Mars orbit to cover “legacy assets” and upcoming surface missions.
With over one metric ton of additional payload capacity, Blue Origin asserts the orbiter could be mission-ready by 2028.
“Excited about this spacecraft, it will build a great foundation for future missions to Mars,” added Blue Origin CEO David Limp.
Rocket Lab’s entry draws from its earlier Mars Sample Return (MSR) architecture, which incorporated an MTO element before the White House’s renewed focus.
The company emphasizes its efficient in-house supply chain and proven track record, having delivered two Mars satellites for NASA’s ESCAPADE mission on time and within budget in just three and a half years—set to launch on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket.
On Thursday, Blue Origin noted they are targeting No Earlier than September 29 for what will be the second launch of New Glenn. 
Rocket Lab also supplied components for the Perseverance rover’s cruise stage and the Ingenuity helicopter.
Lockheed Martin, a veteran in the field, bases its proposal on a fixed-price MSR mission concept, leveraging its history of successful Martian orbiters like the 2001 Mars Odyssey, MAVEN, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter—all still operational today.
This experience underscores the company’s pitch for reliability in long-duration space operations.
SpaceX’s lack of involvement in the MTO proposals stands out, given its core mission to establish a self-sustaining city on Mars. However, the company has its own strategy: deploying a Starlink-inspired constellation around the Red Planet, as outlined by CEO Elon Musk in a recent Starship update.
This “Marslink” network would provide planet-wide internet coverage and Earth links, potentially through adapted Starlink satellites.
These approaches—a singular, powerful orbiter versus a distributed satellite fleet—reflect contrasting philosophies in Mars exploration. SpaceX’s vision aligns with broad multiplanetary settlement, while the MTO initiative supports government-led efforts to land Americans on Mars under the current administration.
Neither is superior outright, but all remain proposals, with NASA’s decisions pending amid ongoing budget deliberations.
As the space race intensifies, these developments signal a pivotal era for interplanetary communications.
Featured Image: Render from Blue Origin’s reveal post (Credit: Blue Origin)
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