With NASA eyeing a return to Earth’s Moon in 2025, the space faring agency is now opening up proposals for lunar landers to more firms and not entrusting it to SpaceX entirely.
Before we start speculating about why this is, NASA explained in a press release that it is pursuing two parallel paths for lunar lander development and demonstration. SpaceX’s work is still very much in play here, but the second path allows other companies in the US to demonstrate a solution to get from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon.
“Under Artemis, NASA will carry out a series of groundbreaking missions on and around the Moon to prepare for the next giant leap for humanity: a crewed mission to Mars,” NASA administrator, Bill Nelson said in a statement.
“Competition is critical to our success on the lunar surface and beyond, ensuring we have the capability to carry out a cadence of missions over the next decade.”
It’s hard to argue with Nelson in that regard. Given the vast distances between the Moon and Earth, being able to test more than one solution and indeed, having a back up should it be needed is incredibly important.
In the coming weeks NASA will issue a draft solicitation which will lay out the requirements for development and demonstration of a lunar lander.
“We expect to have two companies safely carry astronauts in their landers to the surface of the Moon under NASA’s guidance before we ask for services, which could result in multiple experienced providers in the market,” explains program manager for the Human Landing System Program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Lisa Watson-Morgan.
While we don’t want to speculate as regards which firm will be selected, we have to think that Blue Origin is already typing up a proposal.
The firm infamously entered a rocket measuring contest last year with SpaceX. Despite the firm’s cries of SpaceX’s human lander being too big, its challenge alleging NASA improperly awarded the contract to SpaceX was ultimately rejected.
But now, Bezos and pals get another shot at getting their lunar lander on the Moon.
We should know which firm will be developing a lunar lander alongside SpaceX later this year.
