More signs are emerging that NASA’s Artemis program may not bring people to the Moon in time. The edge has learned that NASA has quietly pushed back the award period for two lunar landing contracts from late February to April 30, including the contract for lunar landing systems involving Blue Origin, SpaceX and Dynetics. The space agency said it needed more time to evaluate proposals and maintain a ‘seamless transition’ from the development phase, although it said there was a chance it would award contracts before the end of April.
Blue Origin is working on its Blue Moon lander, while SpaceX is developing its Starship rocket. Dynetics builds a lander in a team — along with Sierra Nevada.
The setback does not come as a shock. Congress gave NASA’s Human Landing System project only $ 850 million in its latest spending bill, compared to the $ 3.2 billion it said was needed for the planned launch in 2024. It does not help that Jim Bridenstine, a NASA administrator, left when President Biden took office and left his deputy Steve Jurczyk in his place. The organization just does not have the resources or direction it expected.
As such, the chances of NASA meeting its 2024 Artemis target are so slim. It also reduces the possible changes in the priorities at NASA under the Biden administration. The new White House has focused much of its energy on dealing with immediate crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent economic downturn. It may be reluctant to devote much (if any) attention to a lunar landing until the land is in a better condition.