NASA orders Blue Origin a second crewable lunar lander

May 19. (EUROPE PRESS) –

NASA has selected Blue Origin to produce a second lunar lander for astronauts -the first is from Space X- fly between surface and lunar orbitwithin the Artemis Program.

Blue Origin will design, develop, test and verify its Blue Moon lander to meet NASA Human Landing System requirements for recurring astronaut expeditions to the lunar surface, including the coupling with the Gateway, a space station where the crew transfers into lunar orbit.

In addition to design and development work, the contract includes an unmanned demonstration mission to the lunar surface prior to a manned demonstration on the Artemis V mission in 2029. The total award value of the fixed price contract is $3.4 billion.

For the Artemis V mission, NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket will launch four astronauts into lunar orbit aboard the Orion spacecraft. Once Orion docks with Gateway, two astronauts will transfer to Blue Origin’s human landing system for a week-long trip to the South Pole region of the Moonwhere they will carry out scientific and exploration activities.

Artemis V sits at the intersection between demonstrating NASA’s initial lunar exploration capabilities and establishing the fundamental systems to support recurring complex missions in lunar orbit and on the surface as part of the agency’s Moon-to-Mars exploration approach. .

As reported by NASA, adding another human landing system partner to NASA’s Artemis program will increase competition, reduce costs to taxpayers, support a regular cadence of lunar landings, invest more in the lunar economy, and help NASA achieve its goals in the Luna and its surroundings in preparation for future missions to Mars.

The agency previously contracted with SpaceX to demonstrate an initial human landing system for the Artemis III mission.. Under that contract, the agency also directed SpaceX to evolve its design to meet the agency’s requirements for sustainable exploration and to demonstrate the lander on Artemis IV.

“Having two distinct lunar landing designs, with different approaches to how to meet NASA’s mission needs, provides more solidity and guarantees a regular cadence of landings on the Moonsaid Lisa Watson-Morgan, manager of the Human Landing System Program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.