NASA has awarded Blue Origin a contract valued at $3.4 billion to develop a human landing system for its Artemis V mission. The contract, announced on May 19, 2023, is part of NASA's Sustaining Lunar Development program and follows a previous award to SpaceX for earlier Artemis missions.
The Blue Origin-led team, which includes Lockheed Martin, Draper, Boeing, Astrobotic, and Honeybee Robotics, will design and build the Blue Moon lander. This vehicle is intended to transport astronauts from the lunar Gateway space station to the Moon's surface and back, supporting NASA's goal of establishing a long-term human presence.
The Artemis V mission, currently targeted for launch in 2029, will be the third crewed lunar landing of the Artemis program. The contract modification brings the total value of Blue Origin's Human Landing System work with NASA to $7 billion. NASA stated this award aims to foster competition, provide redundancy, and ensure reliable access to the lunar surface.
This development marks a significant shift, creating a second provider alongside SpaceX for crewed lunar landing services. The decision has been met with both support for increased competition and scrutiny over the use of public funds for major aerospace contracts.
