Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SPCX) shares surged 5.65% to $141.86 on Monday, gaining $7.59 amid strong buying pressure. The rally followed NASA's announcement of a $10 billion lunar delivery contract framework that includes SpaceX and seven other companies. Momentum was further supported by new federal plans to simplify commercial launch licensing for the space industry.

The shares traded near intraday highs of roughly $142.50 as the broader space sector extended its recent gains.

NASA Selects Eight Companies for $10 Billion Moon Base Contract Program

NASA announced a new round of lunar mission agreements on November 7 to advance its Moon Base development program. Eight companies were selected for the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services 2 (CLPS 2) initiative, including SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Firefly Aerospace. The remaining participants are Intuitive Machines, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Voyager Technologies, and ispace-U.S. The lineup mixes long-established aerospace primes with newer commercial lunar companies, underscoring NASA's approach of distributing lunar delivery work across multiple providers rather than relying on a single contractor.

The CLPS 2 program carries a combined maximum contract value of $10 billion over ten years. Under the framework, the selected firms will compete for task orders involving lunar landers, scientific equipment, and essential infrastructure for the lunar surface. NASA also raised the ceiling on its existing CLPS contracts from $2.6 billion to $4.2 billion to support initial Moon Base operations, giving the agency room to procure more commercial deliveries as it works toward a sustained presence on the Moon.

The original CLPS agreement runs through November 2028, while NASA will allow additional lunar deliveries through November 2033. Together, the programs support the agency's broader objective of establishing a sustained human presence near the Moon's South Pole. Before expanding to future crewed missions, NASA plans to build out transportation, communications, power systems, and scientific facilities in the region.

SpaceX Secures 2028 Cislunar Communications Mission

Among the newly assigned work, NASA selected SpaceX to carry out its Cislunar Communications Deployment Demonstration using the company's Starship spacecraft. The mission is slated to deploy communication satellites into cislunar space in 2028 to support future lunar activities, feeding directly into the communications layer NASA plans to establish around the Moon before crewed missions begin.

NASA also issued transportation assignments involving Blue Origin, Arrow Science and Technology, and Impulse Space. Under its VADR program, the agency outlined approximately $1.3 billion in launch and orbital transportation task orders. SpaceX's Falcon 9, Blue Origin's New Glenn, and Relativity Space's Terran R will support the selected launches, which are intended to test navigation, communications, and cargo transportation systems between Earth and the Moon.

In a separate award, NASA agreed to pay Blue Origin $94 million to deliver its PROMISE nuclear-powered lunar rover, with a potential extension worth $140 million. The agency is targeting a launch in late 2028. During an 18-month mission, the rover will examine lunar resources and support assessments of future landing sites, work that ties into the surface infrastructure NASA aims to assemble in the South Pole region.

FAA Launch Reform Adds Momentum to Space Stocks

Beyond NASA's lunar program, the Federal Aviation Administration announced plans to simplify commercial space launch regulations. The proposed changes address flight termination requirements, uncontrolled reentries, and licensing procedures for commercial operators. The Department of Transportation also plans to recruit additional aerospace engineers to speed up safety reviews and mission approvals. Because every commercial launch requires federal licensing, the pace of these reviews directly shapes how quickly operators can fly.

The regulatory initiative backs the administration's stated goals of 1,000 annual launches by 2030 and 10,000 by 2035. Faster licensing procedures could help commercial launch companies manage growing demand for satellite deployments and space transportation. NASA's latest mission framework adds further opportunities for companies developing reusable rockets and lunar delivery systems.

NASA's $10 billion framework, however, represents a combined contract ceiling across the selected providers rather than a guaranteed payment to SpaceX. How the funding ultimately divides among the eight firms will become clearer as task-order competitions play out under CLPS 2 and VADR in the years ahead.

This article was originally published on Blockonomi.