Artemis 3 – Spaceflight Now

Companies release new details on human-rated lunar lander concepts

April 30, 2020

The next time astronauts land on the moon, they will ride to the lunar surface in a spacecraft that looks a lot different than the Apollo-era landing module last used in 1972. Lander concepts proposed by SpaceX, Blue Origin and Dynetics — which won a combined $967 million in NASA funding Thursday — take wildly different approaches to carrying crews to the moon.

Blue Origin wins lion’s share of NASA funding for human-rated lunar lander

April 30, 2020

NASA has selected Blue Origin, Dynetics and SpaceX to move forward with development of human-rated lunar landers, committing nearly $1 billion in funding for a range of moonship concepts that include a variant of SpaceX’s next-generation Starship vehicle, officials announced Thursday.

NASA no longer counting on Gateway for 2024 moon landing

March 14, 2020

NASA is modifying plans to send astronauts back to the moon in 2024 by taking the Gateway — a mini-space station to be assembled in lunar orbit — out of the critical path in favor of a simplified architecture, according to the agency’s chief of human spaceflight.

NASA inspector general says SLS moon rocket costs continue to climb

March 10, 2020

The powerful Space Launch System rocket being built for NASA’s Artemis moon program by Boeing, using solid-propellant boosters from Northrop Grumman and main engines from Aerojet Rocketdyne, will have cost more than $18 billion by the time it blasts off on its maiden flight in 2021, NASA’s Office of Inspector General reported Tuesday.

NASA expected to detail costs for fast-track moon landing program next month

January 18, 2020

NASA will release a budget profile with a cost estimate for the agency’s Artemis moon program in February in conjunction with the White House’s fiscal year 2021 budget request, according to NASA’s deputy administrator.

NASA taps Lockheed Martin to build six more Orion crew capsules

September 23, 2019

NASA announced Monday it will order at least six reusable Orion crew capsules from Lockheed Martin for $4.6 billion to fly astronauts to the vicinity of the moon in the 2020s, and the agency said it plans to purchase hardware for up to 12 Orion vehicles by 2030.

NASA boss pleads for funding to ensure 2024 moon landing

July 17, 2019

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told a Senate panel Wednesday that a budget impasse and subsequent spending freeze later this year would be “devastating” to the agency’s goal of sending the first woman and next man to the moon by the end of 2024.