Illustration of SpaceX Starship human lander design that will transport the first NASA astronauts to the lunar surface under the Artemis program. Credit: SpaceX
NASA get ready to send astronauts to explore more of the Moon as part of the Artemis program, and the agency has chosen SpaceX to continue the development of the first commercial human lander that will safely transport the next two American astronauts to the lunar surface. At least one of the astronauts will make history as the first woman on the moon. Another purpose of the Artemis program includes landing the first person in color on the lunar surface.
The agency’s powerful Space Launch System rocket will launch four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft for their multi-day trip to the lunar orbit. Two crew members will transition to the SpaceX Human Landing System (HLS) for the last leg of their journey to the lunar surface. After about a week exploring the surface, they board the lander for their short journey back to an orbit where they will return to Orion and their colleagues before returning to Earth.
The fixed price, the milestone-based award value of the contract, is $ 2.89 billion.
“With this award, NASA and our partners will complete the first demonstration mission to the moon in the 21st century as the agency takes a step forward for the equality of women and the long-term exploration of deep space,” said Kathy Lueders , NASA’s co-administrator for the Directorate of Human Research and Operations Mission. “This critical step puts humanity on a path to sustainable exploration of the moon and keeps our eye on missions further into the solar system, including March. ”
SpaceX works closely with NASA experts during the HLS base period to inform its lander design and ensure that it meets NASA’s performance requirements and standards for human spaceflight. An important principle for safe systems, these agreed standards range from areas of engineering, safety, health and medical technical areas.
“This is an exciting time for NASA and especially for the Artemis team,” said Lisa Watson-Morgan, HLS Program Manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. ‘During the Apollo program, we proved that it is possible to do the seemingly impossible: to land humans on the moon. By pursuing a collaborative approach to working with industry while leveraging NASA’s proven technical expertise and capabilities, we will bring American astronauts back to the lunar surface, this time exploring new areas for longer periods of time. ‘
Illustration of an Artemis astronaut on the moon. Credit: NASA
SpaceX’s HLS Starship, designed to land on the moon, relies on the company’s tested Raptor engines and the flying legacy of the Falcon and Dragon vehicles. Starship contains a spacious cabin and two aerial locks for astronaut moon walks. The Starship architecture is intended to evolve into a fully reusable launch and landing system designed to travel to the Moon, Mars and other destinations.
The HLS award is given under the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP-2) Appendix H Broad Agency Announcement (BAA).
In parallel with the implementation of the Addition H Award, NASA plans to implement a competitive acquisition for sustainable lunar surface crewing services that will provide human access to the lunar surface using the Gateway on a regular basis, in addition to the initial demonstration mission .
With NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, HLS and the Gateway lunar outpost, NASA and its commercial and international partners are returning to the moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits and inspiration for a new generation. In collaboration with its partners throughout the Artemis program, the agency will refine precise landing technologies and develop new mobility capabilities to enable exploration of new areas of the Moon. On the face of it, the agency has proposed building a new habitat and robbers, testing new power systems and more. These and other innovations and advances made under the Artemis program will ensure that NASA and its partners are ready for human exploration’s next big step – the exploration of Mars.