NASA is looking for another company to develop a second lunar lander in order to carry astronauts to the moon in the future. NASA had previously said it would be open to other lunar lander concepts, and this week it shared an official solicitation for proposals.
NASA wants to award a contract for one uncrewed and one crewed lunar landing in order to establish a human presence on the moon. The first crewed mission under the Artemis program, Artemis III, will be the first mission that will require the landers.
The Human Landing System Program at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center believes that work done under this solicitation will help build the foundation for long-term deep space exploration. Partnering with American companies will allow us to use NASA's knowledge and expertise to encourage technological innovations for a sustained presence at the moon.
Blue Origin had a proposal for the first lunar lander contract that was rejected. The case raised debate about whether there was enough competition for NASA contracts. The invitation for a second lunar lander seems to be NASA's response, with the agency hoping to demonstrate that it is open to whichever space company can give the best services.
It is not known if Blue Origin will try to win this contract. There are two companies that could submit proposals for other companies, but neither has announced that they will do so. After the announcement that NASA would be open to proposals, officials from the two companies weren't sure.
There is a recommended video.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
