NASA is looking for ANOTHER company to build it a lunar lander in addition to SpaceX as part of the Artemis program that will see the first woman and person of color land on the moon by 2026
- NASA will send its first landing mission to the moon in 50 years in or after 2025
- It will see the first woman and first person of color step foot on another world
- Originally NASA awarded a single lunar lander contract - giving it to SpaceX
- The new agreement will see a second lander developed for the space agency
- SpaceX and the winner of the new bid will split future landings, including at least one human landing on the surface of the moon every year up to the mid 2030s
- After this, NASA will focus on the first human landing on the surface of Mars
NASA is on the hunt for a second lunar lander - to be used as an alternative to SpaceX Starship - as the agency steps up its plans for longer-term exploration of the moon.
The agency said it will send the first woman and first person of color to the surface of the moon in a SpaceX vehicle, but added that future missions will be split between the Elon Musk-owned firm and whoever wins the bid to build the alternative.
Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin has already confirmed it will enter the race to build the second lander, although it is unclear how well that will be received at NASA. Bezos previously took the agency to court, and lost, over its decision to only award one lander contract - to SpaceX - in the initial round.
Any new lander will have to be able to dock with the lunar Gateway space station, increase crew capacity, and take scientific payloads to the surface of the moon, NASA said.
The first crewed landing is expected to happen by 2026, and will involve the astronauts reaching the moon in an Orion capsule and docking with the Starship Human Landing System - eventually using that module to put two people on the moon's surface.
Future missions are likely to involve a combination of the Starship and the winner of the new contract. The agency said it plans to operate one crewed mission per year until the mid-2030s.
It is unclear how much the new lander will cost. The SpaceX Starship system cost NASA $2.9 billion, but during the last round of procurement other bids were much higher, with Blue Origin saying its Blue Moon lander would come in at $5.9 billion.
NASA is on the hunt for a second lunar lander, that will be an alternative to SpaceX Starship, as the agency steps up plans for longer-term exploration of the moon
NASA is asking US companies to propose lander concepts capable of ferrying astronauts between lunar orbit and the surface for missions beyond Artemis III.
SpaceX had already been awarded one crewed (Artemis III) and one uncrewed landing on the surface of the moon, as part of its contract.
The new agreement will see it operate at least one more crewed and uncrewed landing - with the other operator getting a similar number.
As the deal runs for a decade, it is likely future landings will be agreed after these have operated successfully - similar to trips to the ISS with commercial launch.
Artemis landings are designed to work in three stages - first the massive Space Launch System rocket sends the crew into space in an Orion capsule. This spacecraft takes them to lunar orbit, where the Starship lander takes them down.
The winning bid will be a spacecraft that can carry both crew and science experiments down to the surface of the moon, but also dock with the Lunar Gateway space station, currently in development, and increase its crew capacity.
The first woman and first person of color will land on the surface of the moon in the SpaceX vehicle, but future missions will be split between the Elon Musk-owned firm and whoever wins the bid to build the alternative. Pictured is the Starship lander proposal
'Under Artemis, NASA will carry out a series of groundbreaking missions on and around the moon to prepare for the next giant leap for humanity: a crewed mission to Mars,' said Administrator Bill Nelson.
'Competition is critical to our success on the lunar surface and beyond, ensuring we have the capability to carry out a cadence of missions over the next decade. '
Nelson says the Biden Administration and Congress have pledges support for the new lander, that will 'ultimately strengthen and increase flexibility for Artemis.'
NASA's plans call for long-term lunar exploration and include landing the first woman and first person of color on the moon as part of future Artemis missions.
This will involve further work on the $2.9 billion SpaceX Starship lander, being developed independently of the larger Starship project, as well as the development of a new lander - although no budget has been revealed for that project.
When the last round of bidding was open, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Dynetics were the finalists - each given a share of $1 billion for preliminary design work.
SpaceX was the cheapest bid, with Blue Origin coming in at $5.9 billion, although Jeff Bezos offered a $2 billion discount when he found out NASA awarded the sole contract to SpaceX. He then lost in a bid to sue NASA over the contract.
Blue Origin said of the new bidding process that it is 'thrilled that NASA is creating competition by procuring a second human lunar landing system,' adding it 'is ready to compete and remains deeply committed to the success of Artemis.'
Dynetics is also expected to put in a bid, saying 'We look forward to reviewing the upcoming RFP and the opportunity to participate in the Artemis campaign.'
Boeing and Vivace Corp were the other bidders when NASA first announced the Human Lander contract in 2019, but it is unclear if either will bid this time. SpaceX is not eligible to bid for the second contract, in addition to the one it already has.
Boeing is having its own problems when it comes to providing NASA with commercial spaceflight services. It was the second bidder to be awarded the contract to ferry astronauts to the ISS, but has so far failed to launch successfully.
Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin has already confirmed it will enter the race to build the second lander, although it is unclear how well that will be received at NASA, as Bezos previously took the agency to court, and lost, over it only awarding one lander contract in the initial round - giving it to SpaceX. Pictured is hte Blue Moon lander proposed by Blue Origin
Any new lander will have to be able to dock with the lunar Gateway space station, increase crew capacity, and take scientific payloads to the surface of the moon
The first crewed landing is expected to happen by 2026, and will involve the astronauts reaching the moon in the Orion capsule (pictured), docking with the Starship Human Landing System, and using that to put two members on the surface
When the last round of bidding was open, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Dynetics were the finalists - each given a share of $1 billion for preliminary design work. Pictured is the Dynetics lander proposal
So it is currently unclear whether they intend to bid to build the lander, which would have to be launched from Earth, and wait in orbit around the moon for the Lockheed Martin-built, but NASA operated Orion spacecraft.
The end goal of the Artemis mission has always been a landing on Mars, so each of these missions to the moon will be training for a future trip to the Red Planet.
The latest decision by NASA, assuming it gets funding from Congress, will be to send one crewed mission to the surface, likely from the Gateway space station, every year up to the mid-2030s, as well as other uncrewed landings.
'The agency is pursuing two parallel paths for continuing lunar lander development and demonstration, one that calls for additional work under an existing contract with SpaceX, and another open to all other U.S. companies to provide a new landing demonstration mission from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon,' said NASA.
The ability to add another lander was still available to NASA, under the original agreement, and includes changing the requirements of the SpaceX lander.
It is unclear how much the new lander will cost. The SpaceX Starship system cost NASA $2.9 billion, but during the last round, other bids were much higher, with Blue Origin saying its Blue Moon lander would come in at $5.9 billion.
'Pursuing more development work under the original contract maximizes NASA's investment and partnership with SpaceX,' said NASA.
The exact requirements of the new lander, and changes to Starship, won't be known for a few weeks, when a 'draft solicitation' document will be issued.
'This strategy expedites progress toward a long-term, sustaining lander capability as early as the 2026 or 2027 timeframe,' said Lisa Watson-Morgan, program manager for the Human Landing System Program at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.
'We expect to have two companies safely carry astronauts in their landers to the surface of the Moon under NASA's guidance before we ask for services, which could result in multiple experienced providers in the market.'
Artemis 1, the first in NASA's new generation of moon missions, won't launch until at least the end of May, and could slip into June, according to the space agency
After the new draft solicitation is published, NASA will host a virtual industry day.
Once comments and questions from the draft solicitation process have been reviewed, the agency plans by to issue the formal request for proposals this summer.
'Astronaut Moon landers are a vital part of NASA's deep space exploration plans, along with the Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, ground systems, and Gateway,' the agency explained in a press release.
'NASA is committed to using a commercial astronaut lunar lander to carry the astronauts to the surface of the Moon, expanding exploration and preparing humanity for the next giant leap, human exploration of Mars.'
NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the moon in 2026 as part of the Artemis mission
Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the moon in Greek mythology.
NASA has chosen her to personify its path back to the moon, which will see astronauts return to the lunar surface by 2026 - including the first woman and the next man.
Artemis 1, formerly Exploration Mission-1, was the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration to the moon and Mars.
The uncrewed flight, which successfully launched in November last year, travelled more than 1.4 million miles on a path around the moon and back to Earth. It splashed down in the Pacific Ocean in December 2022, 25-and-a-half days after launch.
Artemis 1, formerly Exploration Mission-1, was the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration to the moon and Mars. This graphic explains the various stages of the mission
Orion stayed in space longer than any ship for astronauts has done without docking to a space station, while it also returned home faster and hotter than ever before.
It will now be followed by Artemis II, a manned mission which is scheduled for launch next year.
The crew will fly around the moon and back to prepare for Artemis III, which NASA is targeting as the mission to return humans to the lunar surface.
Eventually NASA seeks to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by 2028 as a result of the Artemis programme.
The space agency hopes this colony will uncover new scientific discoveries, demonstrate new technological advancements and lay the foundation for private companies to build a lunar economy.
Who is Victor Glover? The man set to become NASA's first black astronaut to orbit the moon
Victor Glover (pictured) was selected as an astronaut in 2013 and became the first African American ISS expedition crewmember to live on the ISS seven years later
NASA is set to send the first-ever black astronaut to the moon.
Victor Glover, 46, was selected to take part in the space agency's Artemis II mission — the US' first lunar mission in a half-century.
The Pomona, California, native will be the first person of color to travel into deep space, hundreds of thousands of miles beyond the low-Earth orbiting International Space Station (ISS).
NASA officials say the diverse crew assignments signify the cultural shifts that have taken place since the original Apollo missions, which ended in 1972, at a time when white men dominated space exploration.
Glover was also the first black man to ever live on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2020 and is among 15 African Americans to be selected as an astronaut.
In his esteemed career since being selected as an astronaut in 2013, Mr Glover has logged over 3,000 flight hours in 40 different aircraft.
Artemis II - which will launch in November 2024 - will see the four-man crew orbit the moon in the Orion spacecraft but not land.
Their goal is to test new technology, including heat shields that protects Orion as it travels 24,500 mph in 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit on its way back.
If successful, NASA plans to launch an expedition to land on the moon titled Artemis III. Another success would spell out a trip to Mars for NASA.
‘I wanna thank God for this Amazing opportunity,’ Mr Glover said during a new conference Monday.
‘This is a big day. We have a lot to celebrate. It’s so much more than the four names that have been announced. We need to celebrate this moment in human history.
'Artermis II is more than a mission to the Moon and back. It’s more than a mission that has to happen before we send people to the surface of the moon. It is the next step on the journey that gets humanity to Mars.
‘This crew will never forget that.’
Mr Glover was born in 1976 in Pomona, around 30 miles east of Los Angeles.
The city is far from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, known for its high poverty rate and relatively high crime.
Mr Glover grew up in Ponoma, CA, 30 miles east of Los Angeles
He said his parents and teachers served as mentors as him growing up.
'Early on in life it had to be my parents; they encouraged me and challenged me and held me to high standards. Outside of home, I had teachers that did the same,' he told USA Today in 2017.
'They all challenged me, and they encouraged me.'
Mr Glover continued that his teachers and parents urged him to go the engineering school and eventually become a test pilot — leading to him becoming an astronaut.
He graduated from Southern California's Ontario High School in 1994, and went on to attend California Polytechnic State University, before completing his graduate education at Air University and the US Naval Academy.
'I’m the first person in my family to graduate from college, and being at graduation with my mom and my dad and my stepdad and my little brothers and my grandparents,' he said to USA Today.
'That was unreal, that was cool and it was special for me.'
In 1999 he was commissioned as part of the US Navy. After completing flight training in Corpus Christy, Texas, he was 'given his wings' and awarded the title of pilot in 2001.
He then moved to San Diego to learn to fly the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, known as one of the Navy's more versatile aircraft.
After spending the next two years training in Florida and Virginia, he was deployed to Iraq in 2004 for six months.
Mr Glover was working in the office of the late Sen John McCain as a legislative fellow when he was selected by NASA to become an astronaut in 2013.
NASA only selects a handful of the thousands of people that apply to be a member of the nation's astronaut corps each year. Only 15 black astronauts have ever been selected out of 348.
A vast majority of the 41 current astronauts have a military background, like Mr Glover.
He completed his astronaut training in 2015. Three years later, he was selected to be a part of the first ever operational flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon, a reusable aircraft designed by the firm Elon Musk found in 2002.
As part of that mission, he would live on the ISS from November 17, 2020 to May 2, 2021.
The nearly six-month-long stay on the station makes him the first black astronaut to inhabit it.
Jeanette Epps, 52, who was selected to be an astronaut in 2009 is set to become the second African American, and first black woman, to live on the ISS after the launch of Boeing Starliner-1 in 2024 or later.
In 2020, Mr Glover said it was an honor to be the first black person selected to the ISS.
'It is something to be celebrated once we accomplish it, and I am honored to be in this position and to be a part of this great and experienced crew,' he said during a news conference.
'I look forward to getting up there and doing my best to make sure, you know, we are worthy of all the work that's been put into setting us up for this mission.'
In an interview with The Christian Chronicle later that year, he said there were qualified black astronauts that should have earned the honor before him.
'I've had some amazing colleagues before me that really could have done it, and there are some amazing folks that will go behind me,' he said.
'I wish it would have already been done, but I try not to draw too much attention to it.'
Who is Christina Koch? The first female NASA astronaut set to orbit the moon
Christina Koch is set to become the first woman to go around the moon when NASA's Artemis II mission takes off next year.
Christina Koch, 44, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is set to become the first woman to go around the moon
The Grand Rapids, Michigan native, 44, is already the record-holder for the longest amount of time a woman has spent in space, 328 days, and for taking part in the first all-female spacewalk in 2019.
Selected to become an astronaut in 2013, Ms Koch said she has not followed a 'checklist' in order to become an astronaut — but instead chased her passions whether this be rock climbing, sailing or even learning to surf in her 40s.
She said in 2020: 'I really don't remember a time when I didn't want to be an astronaut.
'For me, I learned that if I was going to be an astronaut, it was because my passions had turned me into someone that could contribute the most as someone contributing to human space flight.'
While she's exploring space, her husband Robert will be left taking care of housework and the couple's puppy, LBD. It is not believed that they have children.
'Am I excited? Absolutely!' she said at a news conference at the crew's announcement Monday.
‘The one thing I'm most excited about is that we will carry your excitement,your aspirations, your dreams, on this mission.’
She also said: ‘We are going to launch from Kennedy space center, we are going to here the words “go for launch” on top of the most powerful rocket NASA’s ever made.’
NASA has sent a total of 355 people to space so far, of which some 55 have been women — or 15 percent. It has also sent 24 people to orbit the moon and 12 to walk on the lunar surface who were all men.
Russian Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to ever leave the earth's atmosphere — setting off in 1937. American women did not get sent to space until 1983.
Ms Koch, however, will make history on the Artemis II mission when she completes her long-awaited trip around the moon.
She revealed her love of space in a video when she was announced as a member of the Artemis I team in 2020.
The astronaut said: 'I am someone who has loved exploration on the frontier since I was little.
'I used to be inspired by the night sky and throughout my career, it's been this balance between engineering for space science missions and doing science in really remote places all over the world.
'I loved things that made me feel small, things that made me ponder the size of the universe, my place in it and everything that was out there to explore.'
She added: 'I didn't necessarily live my life following check boxes of how you could become an astronaut.
'But I followed those passions and one day I looked at what I had become and the skills I had gathered and I asked "could I sit across from a table and present myself as someone who could do this well?". And I thought, I'm going to give this a shot.'
She went to North Carolina State University in Raleigh to get a bachelor's and a master's in Electrical Engineering.
She then became an Electrical Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, before becoming a research associate for the United States Antarctic Program — living an entire year in the Arctic.
Ms Koch was one of eight selected as part of NASA's 21st class of astronauts in 2013. After two years of training, she became a full-fledged astronaut.
Her first space flight came in 2019 when she was sent to the International Space Station (ISS) to work as a flight engineer.
She stayed up there for 328 days, taking the record for the longest spaceflight by a woman. The previous record holder, Peggy Whitson, was in space for 288 days.
While in space she also took the record for the first all-women space walk — when an astronaut gets out of a vehicle while in space — with Jessica Meir.
The pair spent seven hours and 17 minutes on the side of the ISS as they worked to replace a power controller. The walk also included a brief call with President Trump.
Upon her return to Earth in 2020, Ms Koch said she felt 'like a baby' who was two weeks old and working hard to hold up its head.
Back on Earth, she lives in Galveston, Texas, just outside of the Houston area.
Among her interests are backpacking, running, yoga, photography and travel.
Now she will be a part of a groundbreaking mission in NASA's goal towards putting a man on Mars.
The Artemis II mission marks NASA's first trip to the moon in half a century. It says it will be performed to help test kit in preparation for getting humans onto Mars.
The agency sent an empty Orion capsule around the moon last year before it returned to Earth in a long-awaited dress rehearsal.
If this latest mission goes well, then another flight to land people on the moon will be sent in 2025 — as part of tests ahead of getting people onto Mars.
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