Pushed by politicians, the American agency must finally let go of the ballast and engage in a new selection for a manned lunar lander on the program Artemis
. It will have to obtain a new (and important) budget extension… to keep the competition open between Starship and the future model selected.
It’s the battle of the first-round losers!
And for only a few billion…
Less than a year ago in April 2021, NASA chose SpaceX as the sole winner of its gigantic “HLS” tender (Human Landing System). And therefore marked a technical, budgetary and administrative preference for Starship, with the best marks in these three areas for its evaluation, against competitors with too high costs such as the National Team (led by Blue Origin) or with less mastered technical aspects such as the Dynetics lander.
Why only one winner? For financial reasons above all: if Congress expected NASA to be able to develop a mission to the surface of the Moon within a reasonable timeframe, there was not enough money for two industrialists… other emblematic scientific or technical programs.
Room for others?
However on the political level, this decision had caused many waves, in particular in the “ space states », States in which SpaceX is not installed (Colorado, Alabama, etc.). Last summer, the new director of NASA (Bill Nelston) had argued in favor of competition on this type of contract, but had not received a specific budget to implement it. Since November, therefore, until Blue Origin’s complaint has been filed, SpaceX has been receiving money and developing its Starship for future lunar missions.
It seems that the White House weighed in on the decision and finally proposed an additional budget, so there will be a second selection… for a more capable (more powerful, durable, reusable) lunar lander, intended for missions after Artemis 3 and 4. SpaceX having already won the first round is excluded, NASA keeping the Californian firm as a supplier no matter what.
HLS 2, the return
The American agency hopes to select this second lunar lander by the beginning of next year, and manufacturers will soon be able to file their applications. To appease politicians, the agency will therefore keep a line with competition… but at what cost?
Many observers point to the fact that the same Congress that demands more competition from NASA is the one that denies it a bigger budget. Let’s just remember that the National Team’s proposal in 2021 estimated its development at $6 billion…
Finally, there is one last question: when will Blue Origin file a complaint if it is still not selected?
On the same subject :
Blue Origin does it again: six tourists will fly away with New Shepard
Source: space news
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