NASA Selects Blue Origin to Build Second Lunar Lander

NASA has selected Blue Origin to build a second lunar lander for its Artemis program. The announcement was made on March 2, 2023, by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

Blue Origin, founded by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, will receive $2.9 billion to build the lander. The company will compete with SpaceX, which was awarded a $2.9 billion contract in 2021 to build the first lunar lander for Artemis.

The Artemis program is NASA’s plan to return humans to the moon by 2025. The first Artemis mission, Artemis I, is scheduled to launch in February 2024. The mission will send an un-crewed Orion spacecraft around the moon and back.

The second Artemis mission, Artemis II, is scheduled to launch in November 2024. The mission will send a crew of four astronauts around the moon and back.

The third Artemis mission, Artemis III, is scheduled to launch in May 2025. The mission will land the first woman and the first person of colour on the moon.

The contract awarded to Blue Origin will allow NASA to have two lunar landers available for Artemis missions. This will give NASA more flexibility in case of delays or problems with one of the landers.

The selection of Blue Origin was welcomed by some in the space industry, but it was also criticised by others. Some critics argued that Blue Origin was not the best choice for the contract because the company has not yet built a lunar lander. Others argued that the contract was too expensive.

Despite the criticism, NASA is moving forward with the contract with Blue Origin. The company is expected to begin work on the lander immediately.

What does this mean for the future of space exploration?

The selection of Blue Origin to build a second lunar lander is a significant development for the future of space exploration. It shows that NASA is committed to returning humans to the moon and that the agency is willing to work with multiple companies to achieve this goal.

The competition between Blue Origin and SpaceX will also help to drive innovation in the space industry. As the two companies work to develop their landers, they will be pushing the boundaries of what is possible in space exploration.

The return of humans to the moon is a major milestone in the history of space exploration. It will pave the way for future missions to Mars and other planets. The selection of Blue Origin to build a second lunar lander is a sign that NASA is committed to making this happen.