JAKARTA - NASA has just taken a big step by choosing Blue Origin as a partner to develop a human landing system on the Moon on the Artemis V mission.
"Today we are pleased to announce Blue Origin will build a human landing system as NASA's second provider to deliver Artemis astronauts to the lunar surface," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement, quoted Sunday, May 21.
Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts including the first woman and the first person of color to explore the Moon more broadly than before.
Those sent will also reveal more scientific discoveries, and prepare astronaut missions to Mars in the future.
Meanwhile, Blue Origin will design, develop, test, and verify its Blue Moon lander.
The move was carried out as a condition for the human landing system from NASA on the astronaut expedition to the lunar surface. The expectations will also include anchoring on the gateway, and the space station where the crew transfer is in lunar orbit.
In addition to design and development, the two will also launch an unmanned demonstration mission to the lunar surface before the manned demonstration for the Artemis V mission in 2029. The total of NASA's fixed contract price -Blue Origin is estimated at US$3.4 billion or equivalent to Rp50.7 trillion.
"We are in the golden age of human spaceflight, which is made possible by NASA's commercial and international partnerships. Together, we invest in infrastructure that will pave the way for the first astronauts to land on Mars," continued Bill.
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To launch the Artemis V mission, NASA will use the Orion spacecraft riding the Space Launch System (SLS) mega-rocket by bringing four astronauts to lunar orbit.
After Orion docked with Gateway, two astronauts will be transferred to the Blue Moon human landing system for about a week's journey to the South Pole of the Moon, where they will carry out science and exploration activities.
Previously known, NASA also signed SpaceX to demonstrate a human initial landing system for the Artemis III mission.
Under the contract, the US space agency also directed SpaceX to develop its designs to meet sustainable exploration requirements and demonstrate lander at Artemis IV.
Both billionaire Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, SpaceX and some providers will compete for future opportunities to meet NASA's lunar surface access needs on the Artemis mission.
Having two different lunar lander designs, with different approaches to meeting NASA's mission needs, provides greater strength and ensures regular landing rhythms on the Moon, said Lisa Watson-Morgan's Human Landing System Program Manager, at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.
"This competitive approach encourages innovation, lower costs, and invests in commercial capabilities to foster business opportunities that can serve other customers and encourage the lunar economy," he said.
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