NASA Opens Moon Mission to Rivals Amid SpaceX Delays
NASA is opening its moon landing contract to new bidders due to SpaceX's delays with its Starship lunar lander. This move allows competitors, like Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, to vie for the high-profile mission, marking a shift in NASA's lunar strategy and increasing competition in the Artemis program.
NASA announced on Monday that it is opening its U.S. moon landing contract to other bidders following SpaceX's mounting delays with its Starship lunar lander.
This decision allows rivals like Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to compete for the mission to land the first astronauts on the moon in half a century. NASA's acting chief, Sean Duffy, noted the move represents a significant shift in strategy as the agency faces pressure to accelerate its Artemis program. Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin are preparing to contend for the mission, with Lockheed planning to assemble an industry team to answer NASA's call.
SpaceX's Starship, awarded a $4.4 billion contract in 2021, is behind schedule for a 2027 moon landing. Elon Musk sees the spacecraft as vital for future missions to Mars. NASA has asked for accelerated plans from SpaceX and Blue Origin by October 29. The Artemis program aims to establish a long-term human presence on the moon, with Artemis 3 scheduled for 2027 and Artemis 2 set to launch earlier next year.
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