Thomas Black: It’s up to SpaceX and Blue Origin to stick the moon landing
NASA is relying on SpaceX and Blue Origin to build lunar landers for the Artemis III mission next year, a crucial step towards returning to the moon's surface since 1972. The agency's new administrator, Jared Isaacman, faces the challenge of keeping the program on schedule amidst the companies' other priorities and developmental delays.
NASA is betting on SpaceX and Blue Origin to build lunar landers for the Artemis III mission next year. The Artemis II mission around the moon was a success, but now comes the risky part of returning to the moon's surface. SpaceX is running behind on its lunar lander and is distracted by other projects, including a potential $75 billion initial public sale of shares. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, is also working on its Blue Moon lander but has yet to launch its New Glenn rocket more than twice. Jared Isaacman, NASA's new administrator, is tasked with keeping the program on schedule and has promised to take 'uncomfortable action' if contractors fail to meet deadlines. NASA has added a test flight for Artemis III in 2027 to demonstrate docking and crew transfer between Lockheed Martin's Orion spacecraft and the new lunar landers.
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