{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"115379","rtpr_id":"nGNX60CJF0","ticker":"ASTC","exchange":"NASDAQ","all_tickers":["ASTC"],"title":"Astrotech Announces Plans for LP&L to Develop a Commercial Lunar Electric Utility","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-08-11T12:15:00.133Z","article_body":"AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Astrotech Corporation\n(Nasdaq: ASTC) (\"Astrotech\" or the \"Company\") today announced that its wholly\nowned subsidiary, Lunar Power and Light Corporation (\"LP&L\"), intends to\ndevelop a commercial lunar power-generation, energy-storage and distribution\nnetwork designed to operate as a lunar electric utility for future government\nand commercial customers at a high-illumination lunar polar location. The\nproposed program remains subject to technical validation, financing, customer\ncommitments, launch availability and applicable governmental authorizations.\n\nLP&L's proposed network would combine distributed, elevated and sun-tracking\nsolar towers; utility-scale and local battery storage; autonomous controls;\nsurface transmission and distribution; metering; and recharge stations. Solar\ngeneration would serve customer loads and charge storage when sunlight is\navailable. Stored energy would feed the same grid when solar output is\ninsufficient, with the objective of maintaining continuous day-and-night\nservice.\n\nUsing a preliminary 90% annual solar-access case, LP&L estimates approximately\n7,884 hours of potential direct solar access and 876 cumulative hours of full\nor partial battery support during an 8,760-hour Earth year. This is a planning\nassumption, not a guarantee. Final sizing would depend on site-specific,\nmulti-year illumination and shadow analysis, customer demand, reserves and the\nlongest low-generation period.\n\nProposed Commercial Utility Model\n\nUnder LP&L's proposed model, future customers could purchase continuous or\nreserved electricity, firm capacity, metered consumption, transmission,\nrecharge services and contracted storage from shared infrastructure rather\nthan launching and maintaining a separate power system for every mission.\nPotential customers may include:\n* Lunar construction operations for structures, landing pads and roads;\n* Moon-based data centers, artificial-intelligence systems, high-performance\ncomputing, communications and scientific infrastructure;\n* Lunar mining, excavation, resource-extraction and materials-processing\noperations; and\n* Autonomous robots, rovers, construction equipment and commercial or\ngovernmental facilities requiring continuous, reserved or backup power.\n\"Through LP&L, our intended product is not intermittent daytime solar energy;\nit is continuous utility power,\" said Thomas B. Pickens III, Chairman, Chief\nExecutive Officer and Chief Technology Officer of Astrotech Corporation.\n\"Under the proposed model, customers would receive a firm, metered service\nwhile LP&L manages direct solar generation and stored energy. LP&L also\nintends to evaluate nuclear fission power with qualified partners as a\npotential source of added capacity and resilience.\"\n\nNASA Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator (LEIA)\n\nNASA has issued a draft Broad Agency Announcement under Next Space\nTechnologies for Exploration Partnerships-3 (NextSTEP-3), Appendix A: Lunar\nEnabling Infrastructure Accelerator (LEIA) (Solicitation No. 80GRC026R0008).\nTopic 1: Vertical Solar Array seeks technology maturation and risk reduction\nfor lunar surface power. LP&L is evaluating a potential proposal to advance\nits vertical solar-tower technology for later integration with its\nbattery-supported lunar utility architecture.\n\nAppendix A is a draft solicitation and does not constitute a NASA selection,\naward, contract, authorization, endorsement, funding commitment or agreement\nto purchase services from Astrotech or LP&L.\n\nMeaning of \"Lunar Electric Utility\" and Current Status\n\nThe term \"lunar electric utility\" describes LP&L's proposed commercial\npower-generation, storage and distribution service model. It does not mean\nthat LP&L is presently operating, licensed or certified as a terrestrial\nregulated public utility, fully financed, approved for deployment or\ncontractually committed to supply power. This announcement does not claim\ngovernmental approval or endorsement. Future launch and operation may require\napplicable launch, payload, communications, export-control and other\nauthorizations.\n\nLP&L remains in an early evaluation and development phase. Initial work is\nexpected to include polar-site and customer identification; illumination and\nshadow analysis; solar and battery sizing; transmission and recharge-standard\ndevelopment; and identification of technology, launch, financing and operating\npartners. No final site, capacity, route, launch schedule, service date or\nproject cost is being announced. LP&L is also not announcing any binding\npower-purchase agreement, customer commitment, strategic-partner agreement,\nfinancing commitment, launch contract or operational authorization.\nImplementation will depend on technical validation, customer demand,\npartnerships, lunar transportation, financing, applicable authorizations and\nother factors.\n\nAbout Lunar Power and Light Corporation\n\nLunar Power and Light Corporation (\"LP&L\") is a wholly owned subsidiary of\nAstrotech Corporation formed to evaluate and pursue commercial lunar\npower-generation, battery-storage, transmission, distribution, metering,\nrecharging and related services. LP&L has not commenced commercial utility\noperations.\n\nAbout Astrotech Corporation\n\nAstrotech Corporation (Nasdaq: ASTC) is an Austin, Texas-based science and\ntechnology company that creates and scales businesses in space-related\ntechnology, advanced instrumentation, mass spectrometry, gas chromatography,\nprocess control and environmental analysis. For additional information, visit\nAstrotech's corporate website.\n\nForward-Looking Statements\n\nThis press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of\nthe Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements\nregarding Astrotech's and LP&L's proposed lunar electric utility; polar sites\nand solar-access estimates; solar towers; continuous power; battery storage;\ntransmission, distribution, metering and recharging; LP&L's potential response\nto NASA's draft NextSTEP-3 Appendix A Lunar Enabling Infrastructure\nAccelerator, including Topic 1: Vertical Solar Array; potential\ndemonstrations, customers, partners, financing, governmental authorizations\nand nuclear fission power; and the timing, cost, capacity, reliability,\ndeployment, operation or commercialization of lunar power infrastructure.\n\nThese statements are based on current expectations and are subject to\nsignificant risks and uncertainties, including the early-stage nature of the\nprogram; possible changes to or non-issuance of the final NASA solicitation;\npossible non-submission, non-selection or non-award under Appendix A;\ndifferences between estimated and actual solar availability; shadow periods;\nbattery performance and degradation; technical challenges; insufficient\ncustomers, commitments, partners, financing, transportation or government\nsupport; delays or failure to obtain applicable authorizations; launch,\nlanding, deployment and maintenance risks; competition; supply-chain\nconstraints; and uncertainties regarding commercial lunar markets and nuclear\nfission.\n\nAdditional risks are described in Astrotech's SEC filings, including its most\nrecent Form 10-K and Forms 10-Q. No assurance can be given that Astrotech or\nLP&L will achieve the planning assumptions, provide continuous power, deploy\nor operate the infrastructure, receive a NASA Appendix A award, obtain\nauthorizations, enter binding agreements, secure financing or sell electricity\nor related services. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the release\ndate, and Astrotech undertakes no obligation to update them except as required\nby law.\n\nContacts\n\n Company Contact                                                                       \n Scott Bartley Interim Chief Financial Officer Astrotech Corporation (512) 485-9530    \n\n\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f11263f7-9416-4535-8528-6b0962b861ca)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNX60CJF0","title":"Astrotech Announces Plans for LP&L to Develop a Commercial Lunar Electric Utility","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"ASTC","created":"2026-08-11T12:15:00.133Z","tickers":["ASTC"],"exchange":"NASDAQ","article_body":"AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Astrotech Corporation\n(Nasdaq: ASTC) (\"Astrotech\" or the \"Company\") today announced that its wholly\nowned subsidiary, Lunar Power and Light Corporation (\"LP&L\"), intends to\ndevelop a commercial lunar power-generation, energy-storage and distribution\nnetwork designed to operate as a lunar electric utility for future government\nand commercial customers at a high-illumination lunar polar location. The\nproposed program remains subject to technical validation, financing, customer\ncommitments, launch availability and applicable governmental authorizations.\n\nLP&L's proposed network would combine distributed, elevated and sun-tracking\nsolar towers; utility-scale and local battery storage; autonomous controls;\nsurface transmission and distribution; metering; and recharge stations. Solar\ngeneration would serve customer loads and charge storage when sunlight is\navailable. Stored energy would feed the same grid when solar output is\ninsufficient, with the objective of maintaining continuous day-and-night\nservice.\n\nUsing a preliminary 90% annual solar-access case, LP&L estimates approximately\n7,884 hours of potential direct solar access and 876 cumulative hours of full\nor partial battery support during an 8,760-hour Earth year. This is a planning\nassumption, not a guarantee. Final sizing would depend on site-specific,\nmulti-year illumination and shadow analysis, customer demand, reserves and the\nlongest low-generation period.\n\nProposed Commercial Utility Model\n\nUnder LP&L's proposed model, future customers could purchase continuous or\nreserved electricity, firm capacity, metered consumption, transmission,\nrecharge services and contracted storage from shared infrastructure rather\nthan launching and maintaining a separate power system for every mission.\nPotential customers may include:\n* Lunar construction operations for structures, landing pads and roads;\n* Moon-based data centers, artificial-intelligence systems, high-performance\ncomputing, communications and scientific infrastructure;\n* Lunar mining, excavation, resource-extraction and materials-processing\noperations; and\n* Autonomous robots, rovers, construction equipment and commercial or\ngovernmental facilities requiring continuous, reserved or backup power.\n\"Through LP&L, our intended product is not intermittent daytime solar energy;\nit is continuous utility power,\" said Thomas B. Pickens III, Chairman, Chief\nExecutive Officer and Chief Technology Officer of Astrotech Corporation.\n\"Under the proposed model, customers would receive a firm, metered service\nwhile LP&L manages direct solar generation and stored energy. LP&L also\nintends to evaluate nuclear fission power with qualified partners as a\npotential source of added capacity and resilience.\"\n\nNASA Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator (LEIA)\n\nNASA has issued a draft Broad Agency Announcement under Next Space\nTechnologies for Exploration Partnerships-3 (NextSTEP-3), Appendix A: Lunar\nEnabling Infrastructure Accelerator (LEIA) (Solicitation No. 80GRC026R0008).\nTopic 1: Vertical Solar Array seeks technology maturation and risk reduction\nfor lunar surface power. LP&L is evaluating a potential proposal to advance\nits vertical solar-tower technology for later integration with its\nbattery-supported lunar utility architecture.\n\nAppendix A is a draft solicitation and does not constitute a NASA selection,\naward, contract, authorization, endorsement, funding commitment or agreement\nto purchase services from Astrotech or LP&L.\n\nMeaning of \"Lunar Electric Utility\" and Current Status\n\nThe term \"lunar electric utility\" describes LP&L's proposed commercial\npower-generation, storage and distribution service model. It does not mean\nthat LP&L is presently operating, licensed or certified as a terrestrial\nregulated public utility, fully financed, approved for deployment or\ncontractually committed to supply power. This announcement does not claim\ngovernmental approval or endorsement. Future launch and operation may require\napplicable launch, payload, communications, export-control and other\nauthorizations.\n\nLP&L remains in an early evaluation and development phase. Initial work is\nexpected to include polar-site and customer identification; illumination and\nshadow analysis; solar and battery sizing; transmission and recharge-standard\ndevelopment; and identification of technology, launch, financing and operating\npartners. No final site, capacity, route, launch schedule, service date or\nproject cost is being announced. LP&L is also not announcing any binding\npower-purchase agreement, customer commitment, strategic-partner agreement,\nfinancing commitment, launch contract or operational authorization.\nImplementation will depend on technical validation, customer demand,\npartnerships, lunar transportation, financing, applicable authorizations and\nother factors.\n\nAbout Lunar Power and Light Corporation\n\nLunar Power and Light Corporation (\"LP&L\") is a wholly owned subsidiary of\nAstrotech Corporation formed to evaluate and pursue commercial lunar\npower-generation, battery-storage, transmission, distribution, metering,\nrecharging and related services. LP&L has not commenced commercial utility\noperations.\n\nAbout Astrotech Corporation\n\nAstrotech Corporation (Nasdaq: ASTC) is an Austin, Texas-based science and\ntechnology company that creates and scales businesses in space-related\ntechnology, advanced instrumentation, mass spectrometry, gas chromatography,\nprocess control and environmental analysis. For additional information, visit\nAstrotech's corporate website.\n\nForward-Looking Statements\n\nThis press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of\nthe Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements\nregarding Astrotech's and LP&L's proposed lunar electric utility; polar sites\nand solar-access estimates; solar towers; continuous power; battery storage;\ntransmission, distribution, metering and recharging; LP&L's potential response\nto NASA's draft NextSTEP-3 Appendix A Lunar Enabling Infrastructure\nAccelerator, including Topic 1: Vertical Solar Array; potential\ndemonstrations, customers, partners, financing, governmental authorizations\nand nuclear fission power; and the timing, cost, capacity, reliability,\ndeployment, operation or commercialization of lunar power infrastructure.\n\nThese statements are based on current expectations and are subject to\nsignificant risks and uncertainties, including the early-stage nature of the\nprogram; possible changes to or non-issuance of the final NASA solicitation;\npossible non-submission, non-selection or non-award under Appendix A;\ndifferences between estimated and actual solar availability; shadow periods;\nbattery performance and degradation; technical challenges; insufficient\ncustomers, commitments, partners, financing, transportation or government\nsupport; delays or failure to obtain applicable authorizations; launch,\nlanding, deployment and maintenance risks; competition; supply-chain\nconstraints; and uncertainties regarding commercial lunar markets and nuclear\nfission.\n\nAdditional risks are described in Astrotech's SEC filings, including its most\nrecent Form 10-K and Forms 10-Q. No assurance can be given that Astrotech or\nLP&L will achieve the planning assumptions, provide continuous power, deploy\nor operate the infrastructure, receive a NASA Appendix A award, obtain\nauthorizations, enter binding agreements, secure financing or sell electricity\nor related services. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the release\ndate, and Astrotech undertakes no obligation to update them except as required\nby law.\n\nContacts\n\n Company Contact                                                                       \n Scott Bartley Interim Chief Financial Officer Astrotech Corporation (512) 485-9530    \n\n\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f11263f7-9416-4535-8528-6b0962b861ca)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-08-11T12:15:00.175606295Z","server_sent_at_ms":1786450500175},"received_at":"2026-08-11T12:15:00.294Z","source_url":"https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/08/11/3342687/0/en/astrotech-announces-plans-for-lp-l-to-develop-a-commercial-lunar-electric-utility.html"},"analysis":{"id":"104375","press_release_id":"115379","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Aerospace & Defense","sector":"Industrials"},"redFlags":["No binding customer commitments or financing announced","Company not currently operating or licensed as a terrestrial regulated public utility","NASA solicitation is currently a draft and does not constitute an award or funding commitment","Project remains subject to technical validation, financing and government authorizations"],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Astrotech's subsidiary Lunar Power and Light (LP&L) intends to develop a commercial lunar electric utility designed to provide continuous power via solar towers and battery storage at a lunar polar location.\n\nThe proposal estimates 7,884 hours of annual solar access and 876 hours of battery support under a 90% access case, though final sizing depends on site-specific analysis.\n\nLP&L is evaluating a potential proposal for NASA's draft NextSTEP-3 Appendix A solicitation, but the company noted no site, capacity, financing or customer commitments have been finalized.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Conceptual lunar power utility plan remains in early evaluation phase."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"earth_year_hours":8760,"battery_support_hours":876,"planned_solar_access_rate":"90%","potential_annual_solar_access_hours":7884}},"quotedText":"Through LP&L, our intended product is not intermittent daytime solar energy; it is continuous utility power","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Thomas B. Pickens III","role":"Chairman, CEO and CTO"},{"name":"Scott Bartley","role":"Interim CFO"}],"products":["Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator","Vertical Solar Array"],"companies":[{"name":"Lunar Power and Light Corporation","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"NASA","relationship":"potential partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":2,"reasoning":"Announces an early-stage conceptual plan for a lunar power subsidiary with no binding contracts, financing, or customer commitments. High execution risk and dependency on future technical validation and NASA solicitation outcomes."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"ASTC"},"globalImportance":15,"audienceRelevance":25,"eventTypeSecondary":["partnership"],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"small-cap","eventGravity":"strategic-concept","sectorWeight":"aerospace"}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":["partnership"],"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":2,"narrative":"Astrotech's subsidiary Lunar Power and Light (LP&L) intends to develop a commercial lunar electric utility designed to provide continuous power via solar towers and battery storage at a lunar polar location.\n\nThe proposal estimates 7,884 hours of annual solar access and 876 hours of battery support under a 90% access case, though final sizing depends on site-specific analysis.\n\nLP&L is evaluating a potential proposal for NASA's draft NextSTEP-3 Appendix A solicitation, but the company noted no site, capacity, financing or customer commitments have been finalized.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"earth_year_hours":8760,"battery_support_hours":876,"planned_solar_access_rate":"90%","potential_annual_solar_access_hours":7884}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Thomas B. Pickens III","role":"Chairman, CEO and CTO"},{"name":"Scott Bartley","role":"Interim CFO"}],"products":["Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator","Vertical Solar Array"],"companies":[{"name":"Lunar Power and Light Corporation","relationship":"subsidiary"},{"name":"NASA","relationship":"potential partner"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"glm-4.7","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-08-11T16:02:52.554Z","global_importance":15,"audience_relevance":25,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"small-cap","eventGravity":"strategic-concept","sectorWeight":"aerospace"}},"durationMs":189288,"modelName":"glm-4.7"}}