Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) is on its way to win another moon landing mission from NASA.
As part of its efforts to develop a sustained American presence on the lunar surface, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is planning to secure additional lunar landing missions from Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX). SpaceX won NASA’s moon landing contract for its Starship next-generation launch vehicle system last year, and at the time the space agency had only partly exercised its multi-billion dollar contract with the aerospace firm. In an announcement made today that was followed by a media teleconference, NASA revealed that it is now on track to exercise the second part of its SpaceX contract. This allows the agency to ask the company for more lunar missions, and it is part of a broader plan to develop a sustainable plan for lunar exploration. SpaceX Takes Aim At Russian Space Chief Via Witty Response To Criticism NASA’s award to SpaceX, made in April last year was embroiled in controversy soon after the announcement. While the space agency had initially planned to award multiple companies the chance to land astronauts on the Moon, budgetary constraints forced it to stick with the highest evaluated proposal, which belonged to SpaceX. Despite the award, work on the Human Landing System (HLS – NASA’s official term for the lander) was stalled until November last year when SpaceX’s rival Blue Origin decided to sue NASA for alleged impropriety. These claims were dismissed in court following which NASA and SpaceX officially commenced working on the program.
