A team led by Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin has won a coveted NASA contract to build a spacecraft to send astronauts to the lunar surface and back, NASA’s chief announced Friday, closing a high-stakes competition.
NASA’s decision will give the agency a second trip to the moon under the Artemis program, after awarding $3 billion to Elon Musk’s SpaceX in 2021 for landing astronauts on the moon for the primary time because the last Apollo mission in 1972.
These initial missions using SpaceX’s Starship system are scheduled for the tip of this decade.
The Blue Origin contract is valued at about $3.4 billion, NASA’s head of exploration Jim Free said, and Blue Origin is privately bringing “far north” of that quantity, said Blue Origin lunar lander boss John Couluris.
“I’m honored to be on this journey with @NASA to land astronauts on the moon – this time to stay,” Amazon billionaire founder Bezos said in a tweet after the announcement.
Blue Origin plans to build its 52-meter Blue Moon lander in partnership with Lockheed Martin, Boeing, spacecraft software company Draper, and robotics company Astrobotic.
![Jeff Bezos introduces Blue Origin's 2019 space exploration rocket called Blue Moon.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011357470.jpg?w=1024)
The SpaceX Starship lander is prepared to perform the primary two lunar landings of NASA’s Artemis program, sending a pair of astronauts to the lunar surface for every mission. The Blue Moon landing, scheduled for 2029, is predicted to carry two astronauts to the surface.
“Our partnership will only contribute to this golden age of spaceflight,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. He added that having a second lunar lander for the Artemis mission promotes business competition, repeating a trend in recent times that reduces costs for NASA.
![Bezos speaking to the media in 2017.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000011357447.jpg?w=1024)
Friday’s announcement in Washington was a long-awaited result for Blue Origin, which had been competing unsuccessfully for previous contracts. The space company beat out a competing bid from Dynetics, Leidos-owned defense company SAIC, head of the partnership with Northrop Grumman.
These firms lost out to SpaceX for the 2021 contract, which is a component of the initial procurement program for the lunar lander. NASA under this program said it could select up to two firms, but blamed budget constraints on working only with SpaceX.
This recent contract is a lift for Bezos, who has invested billions in the corporate since founding Blue Origin in 2000 to compete for prestigious business and government space contracts with SpaceX, a dominant force in satellite launches and manned spaceflight.
![SpaceX CEO Elon Musk](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/NYPICHPDPICT000001849166.jpg?w=1024)
After losing in 2021, Blue Origin unsuccessfully fought to overturn NASA’s decision to ignore the Blue Moon lander, first with the regulatory agency after which in court.
Blue Origin and lawmakers pressured NASA to award a second lunar lander contract to promote business competition and supply the agency with a back-up trip to the moon. NASA in early 2022 announced a second lander contract program.
Couluris, who will lead development of the lunar lander at Blue Origin, said Friday’s prize was a tricky fight.
“We have been working for some time and we’re still ready to go,” he said.