NASA will assign lunar delivery missions to SpaceX and Blue Origin for future Artemis campaign | – Times of India

NASA, in collaboration with industry leaders and international partners, is advancing its Artemis campaign to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon. This ambitious program is designed to deepen scientific understanding, enable groundbreaking discoveries, and lay the groundwork for future Mars exploration.
Central to Artemis is the development of large cargo landers by SpaceX and Blue Origin, tasked with delivering critical equipment and infrastructure to the lunar surface. By integrating innovative technologies and leveraging global partnerships, NASA envisions a future of regular crewed missions and cargo deliveries to the Moon, fostering continuous exploration and technological advancements.

NASA plans key Artemis missions for SpaceX and Blue Origin

To refine the designs of large cargo landers, NASA will assign demonstration missions to SpaceX and Blue Origin following successful design certification reviews. These missions build on NASA’s 2023 directive for both companies to create cargo versions of their human landing systems, already in development for Artemis III, IV, and V.
“NASA is planning for crewed and future service missions to the Moon beyond Artemis V,” said Stephen D. Creech, assistant deputy associate administrator for technical, Moon to Mars Program Office. “Collaboration with international and industry partners ensures flexibility and a consistent cadence of Moon landings, fostering discovery and scientific growth.”

Developing large lunar cargo landers: SpaceX and Blue Origin

NASA has outlined at least two major missions for large cargo delivery:

NASA has made significant strides in the design and development of crew and cargo landers for its Artemis program. As part of these efforts, the space agency has assigned a pressurised rover mission to SpaceX and a lunar habitat mission to Blue Origin. Lisa Watson-Morgan, program manager for NASA’s Human Landing System, explained that these assignments are part of NASA’s broader strategy to advance lunar exploration.
The demonstration missions, which will be carried out by SpaceX and Blue Origin, are designed to leverage technical expertise and resources from both NASA and the private sector. SpaceX will continue developing its cargo lander under Option B of the NextSTEP Appendix H contract, while Blue Origin will advance its mission under NextSTEP Appendix P. NASA plans to issue an initial request for proposals to both companies in early 2025, marking the next phase of Artemis collaboration.

Building the future: Artemis components for deep-space exploration

Through Artemis, NASA aims to explore more of the Moon than ever before, develop the ability to live and work in deep space, and prepare for future Mars missions. The program’s key components include:

These efforts position NASA to lead a new era of exploration, driving scientific discoveries and technological innovations beyond Earth. With Artemis, humanity is taking its first steps toward sustainable deep-space exploration, ensuring our return to the Moon is not just a visit but a leap toward the stars.
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