Blue Origin to build NASA's second human-landing system on Moon
NASA has selected a Blue Origin-led aerospace team to build the second lunar landing framework for its Artemis program. The team includes Lockheed Martin, Draper, Boeing, Astrobotic, and Honeybee Robotics. The contract is worth a whopping $3.4 billion. Blue Origin and its collaborators are already at work and are thrilled to be embarking on the journey with NASA. Here are more details.
Why does this story matter?
Jeff Bezos and his rocket company, Blue Origin have finally won the contract to take NASA's astronauts to the Moon. The company and its partners defeated the team led by defense firm Dynetics, for this lunar lander contract. The win may be a bounce back for Blue Origin as the organization seeks to support prolonged lunar exploration while competing with SpaceX.
What will the Blue Origin-led team handle?
The Blue Origin-led team will create a landing system for Artemis V - a mission planned to launch no earlier than September 2029. The Artemis V mission will send astronauts back to the Moon, to explore the region around its south pole. Previously, SpaceX was selected by NASA to develop a Starship human landing system for Moon in April 2021.
The lander will weigh over 45,000kg
Blue Origin will construct a 52-foot tall lander, called Blue Moon, and set it at the lunar south pole. The Blue Moon lander will weigh more than 45,000kg when fully fueled. It'll be designed to fit inside the 23-foot-wide diameter of the company's under-development New Glenn rocket. The Blue Origin-led team is planning an uncrewed mission a year prior to the crewed ride.
What will be the responsibilities of the partners?
As per a statement by Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin will construct a "cislunar transporter" spacecraft for lander refueling. Meanwhile, Draper will work on guidance, navigation, and control systems, along with training and simulation. Astrobotic will handle cargo accommodations, while Boeing will design the docking systems. Finally, Honeybee Robotics will be in charge of the cargo offloading capabilities.
The contract is valued at $3.4 billion
Blue Origin's contract with NASA is valued at $3.4 billion. However, Blue Origin's VP for lunar transportation, John Couluris, said the company plans to contribute "well north of that figure" which means the total cost of the project may rise to around $7 billion. "This is Step 1, though. We have a lot to do before we successfully land and return astronauts," Couluris added.
