NASA picks Bezos's Blue Origin to develop Artemis V moon lander

NASA has chosen Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin to develop the lander for one in every of its missions that can ship astronauts again to the moon. 

The company stated in a Friday launch the corporate will probably be answerable for designing, growing, testing and verifying its lander to fulfill NASA’s human touchdown system necessities for a number of expeditions for use for its Artemis V mission. 

The corporate may also have an uncrewed demonstration mission to the moon’s floor earlier than a crewed demonstration on the Artemis V mission scheduled for 2029. 

“We’re in a golden age of human spaceflight, which is made attainable by NASA’s industrial and worldwide partnerships,” NASA Administrator Invoice Nelson stated within the launch. “Collectively, we’re investing within the infrastructure that can pave the best way to land the primary astronauts on Mars.” 

The announcement additionally famous NASA beforehand arrange a contract with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to exhibit an preliminary human touchdown system for Artemis III — which is about to carry the primary people in half a century again to the moon’s floor in 2025 — and exhibit a lander for Artemis IV. 

NASA’s rocket will launch 4 astronauts into lunar orbit on the Orion spacecraft for Artemis V. The spacecraft will dock, and two of the astronauts will then go to Blue Origin’s human touchdown system for a few weeklong journey on the moon’s south pole space to “conduct science and exploration actions.” 

The discharge states including one other accomplice for the Artemis program will enhance competitors, cut back prices for taxpayers, help common lunar landings, additional spend money on the “lunar economic system” and assist NASA obtain its targets on the moon to plan for future missions to Mars. 

“Artemis V is on the intersection of demonstrating NASA’s preliminary lunar exploration capabilities and establishing the foundational programs to help recurring advanced missions in lunar orbit and on the floor as a part of the company’s Moon to Mars exploration strategy,” the discharge states. 

Blue Origin stated in a launch it’s going to develop and fly a lander that may make a exact touchdown wherever on the moon’s floor. It additionally featured a rendering of how the lander that’s used for Artemis V will seem. 

“Blue Origin and its companions are already at work and are excited to be on this journey with NASA,” the discharge states. 

NASA’s announcement comes after the company unveiled the crew for its Artemis II mission final month. The mission, which is scheduled for late subsequent 12 months, can have the crew orbit the moon and presumably attain the furthest level any human has reached in house.