It's official: NASA has chosen SpaceX to develop and operate the human landing system for the Artemis program, funding an uncrewed demonstration flight followed by the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo.
Roughly a year ago, NASA awarded initial contracts to Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX to develop lunar landing systems for the next man and woman on the Moon, targeting 2024. These companies have since advanced their prototype vehicles.
SpaceX's bid was roughly half the cost of Dynetics' and a quarter of Blue Origin's, making it a standout choice for NASA. On Friday, the agency selected Elon Musk's company as the sole provider for lunar landing services.
NASA will provide $2.89 billion to SpaceX for Starship development, covering two missions: an uncrewed lunar surface test with Earth return, and the crewed Artemis III flight, still slated for 2024.
Officials highlighted Starship's advantages, including a spacious crew cabin, dual airlocks, ample payload for lunar experiments and sample returns, plus innovative, scalable design with Mars potential.
Technically and financially, SpaceX checked every box.
Budget constraints were key. NASA requested $3.3 billion for the fiscal year but received just $850 million from Congress.
With the Biden administration endorsing Moon goals, the focus is on realistic timelines amid tight funding. Selecting one provider streamlines costs for Artemis.
This decision may irk Congress, where incumbents like Lockheed Martin and Blue Origin hold strong lobbying influence over SpaceX.
Ultimately, NASA and the White House signal resolve: America returns to the Moon—on its own terms.
SpaceX has self-funded Starship development for five years, aiming for Mars. It features a fully reusable upper stage (Starship) atop the Super Heavy booster, both in testing at South Texas.
For Artemis, SpaceX offers a Starship variant to lunar orbit.
Astronauts launch on NASA's SLS with Orion capsule, rendezvous in lunar orbit, transfer two crew to Starship for surface landing, spend a week, then return via Orion to Earth.
Integration atop SLS remains unspecified.
SpaceX also eyes direct Earth launches for lunar crews, raising questions about SLS and Orion's necessity given their high costs.
NASA recognizes Congress's stake in SLS/Orion jobs across 50 states, precluding immediate replacement.
