The US Senate has approved a bill releasing up to $10 billion for developing private crewed lunar landers for NASA. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin stands to gain significantly from this funding boost.
In April, NASA awarded SpaceX alone a $2.9 billion contract to adapt its Starship as the Artemis lunar lander. The agency bypassed proposals from Dynetics and Blue Origin, citing insufficient congressional funding for multiple landers.
Competitors protested to the US Government Accountability Office, arguing NASA should have issued at least two contracts to foster competition, as originally planned.
This led to a key amendment in a science and technology bill focused on countering China's space advances. Proposed by Blue Origin and championed by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), it authorizes NASA to allocate up to $10 billion for manned lunar landers, emphasizing the need for multiple options.
While not naming Blue Origin explicitly, the amendment's origins and Cantwell's representation of the company's home state strongly indicate it will secure a contract.
The Senate passed the innovation and competition bill 68-32, but it awaits US House approval. The outcome could reshape lunar lander competition.
House support might prompt NASA to select a second contractor via "corrective action," potentially delaying the 2024 human Moon landing goal. Blue Origin advocates argue this aligns with NASA's options.
However, as The Verge reports, NASA staunchly defended its single-contract decision last month and is wary of setting a precedent by reversing course.
If the House rejects the bill, SpaceX proceeds alone with Starship development.
