NASA has awarded Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin a $3.4 billion contract to develop a lunar lander for the Artemis V mission, breaking SpaceX's exclusive hold on the agency's moon landing program. The decision marks a major victory for Bezos, who had previously lost a similar contract to SpaceX in 2021.
A Second Lunar Lander
The contract, announced Friday, calls for Blue Origin to build a variant of its Blue Moon lander capable of carrying astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface of the moon. The lander will be used for the Artemis V mission, currently scheduled for no earlier than 2029. This mission will be the third human lunar landing under the Artemis program, following SpaceX's Starship lander for Artemis III and IV.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the competition between the two landers would reduce costs and increase reliability. "Having two landers gives us redundancy and ensures that we can keep flying even if one system encounters problems," Nelson said in a press conference.
Blue Origin's Long Road
Blue Origin's victory comes after years of legal battles and lobbying. In 2021, NASA awarded SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract for the first human landing system, bypassing Blue Origin's bid. Bezos's company sued NASA, arguing the agency had improperly evaluated the proposals. The lawsuit was dismissed, but NASA later opened a second competition for a lunar lander, which Blue Origin won.
The Blue Moon lander will be powered by liquid hydrogen and oxygen, and will be capable of delivering up to 15 metric tons of cargo to the lunar surface. It will launch on Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, which is still in development. The lander will also be designed to support a crew of four astronauts for up to 30 days on the moon.
Impact on Space Exploration
The decision is expected to accelerate the development of commercial space capabilities and strengthen the US position in the global space race. China and Russia have announced plans for joint lunar missions, and NASA aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by the end of the decade.
Blue Origin will receive $3.4 billion under the contract, with additional funding for testing and integration. The company will also be required to conduct an uncrewed test flight before the Artemis V mission.
Bezos, who founded Blue Origin in 2000, has long dreamed of enabling a future where millions of people live and work in space. "This is a historic moment for Blue Origin and for the future of space exploration," Bezos said in a statement. "We are honored to be part of NASA's Artemis team and to help pave the way for a return to the moon."
The Artemis V mission will be the first time two different landers are used for human lunar landings, marking a new era of competition and collaboration in space.
