Austin 3D-Printing Firm ICON Wins $57.2M NASA Moon Construction Contract
Construction tech startup ICON secures a $57.2 million NASA contract to advance its Project Olympus, aiming to build lunar infrastructure using local resources.
Austin-based construction technology company ICON earns a $57.2 million contract from NASA to develop systems for building infrastructure on the moon and Mars. This funding acts as an extension of a previous Small Business Innovation Research contract with the U.S. Air Force and directly supports ICON's ambitious Project Olympus. The project focuses on utilizing local extraterrestrial resources to shift space exploration from short visits to permanent settlement.
Under this agreement, ICON collaborates with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center on the Moon to Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technologies project. The contract extends through 2028 and allows the company to test its 3D-printing hardware and software using simulated lunar regolith. These tests help engineers design construction methods that operate effectively in the extremely cold and low-gravity environment of the moon.
ICON plans to build more than just astronaut habitats with its space-based 3D printers. The startup also designs landing pads and other essential infrastructure to support NASA's Artemis program and its goal of a sustained human presence on the moon. This massive government contract adds to the company's explosive financial growth, which includes recent funding rounds that push its valuation close to $2 billion.