NASA will host a media teleconference at 12:30 p.m. EST Monday, Jan. 27, to discuss the Lunar Cargo Transportation and Landing by Soft Touchdown (Lunar CATALYST) initiative.

Through Lunar CATALYST, announced on Jan. 16, NASA seeks proposals to partner in the development of reliable and cost-effective commercial robotic lunar lander capabilities that will enable the delivery of payloads to the lunar surface. Such capabilities could support commercial activities on the moon while enabling new science and exploration missions of interest to NASA and the larger scientific and academic communities.

Media will have an opportunity to discuss the initiative with NASA officials following an 11 a.m. pre-proposal conference call with the U.S. private sector.

Participants for the media teleconference are:

-- Jason Crusan, director of Advanced Exploration Systems, NASA Headquarters

-- Nantel Suzuki, Robotic Lunar Lander program executive, NASA Headquarters

For dial-in information, media should e-mail their name, affiliation and telephone number to Trent Perrotto at trent.j.perrotto@nasa.gov by noon Monday.

The Advanced Exploration Systems Division in NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate manages Lunar CATALYST. Advanced Exploration Systems pioneers new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating key capabilities and validating operational concepts for future human missions beyond Earth orbit.

For more information about Lunar CATALYST and the pre-proposal teleconference for the U.S. private sector, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/lunarcatalyst

Audio of the media teleconference will be streamed live on NASA's website at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

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