In the high-stakes race to return humans to the Moon, Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, has emerged as a key player. After years of development, setbacks, and fierce competition, Blue Origin secured a coveted contract from NASA to provide lunar landing services for the agency’s Artemis program. This milestone marked a significant achievement for the company and a validation of its innovative approach to space exploration.
The Artemis Program and the Need for Lunar Landers
NASA’s Artemis program, named after the twin sister of Apollo in Greek mythology, aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by 2024. This ambitious goal requires not only powerful rockets and advanced spacecraft but also reliable lunar landers capable of safely delivering astronauts to the lunar surface.
To achieve this, NASA has turned to the private sector, seeking partnerships with commercial companies to develop and operate lunar landing systems. This approach, known as the Human Landing System (HLS) program, is designed to foster innovation, reduce costs, and accelerate the timeline for returning to the Moon.
Blue Origin’s Lunar Lander Concept: Blue Moon
Blue Origin’s entry into the HLS competition is the Blue Moon lunar lander. Unveiled in 2019, Blue Moon is a versatile spacecraft designed to transport cargo and crew to the lunar surface. The lander is capable of delivering up to 6.5 metric tons of payload to the Moon, including scientific instruments, rovers, and habitats.
One of the key features of Blue Moon is its use of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants. These cryogenic fuels offer high efficiency and can be produced from water ice found in permanently shadowed craters near the Moon’s poles. This in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) capability could enable long-term sustainability and reduce the need for costly resupply missions from Earth.
Blue Moon also incorporates advanced technologies such as autonomous landing and hazard avoidance systems. These features allow the lander to safely navigate and touch down on the challenging lunar terrain, even in areas with boulders, craters, or steep slopes.
The National Team: A Powerhouse Partnership
To strengthen its bid for the HLS contract, Blue Origin assembled a formidable coalition of industry partners known as the National Team. This team includes Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Draper – all established players in the aerospace and defense sectors with decades of experience in space exploration.
Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for NASA’s Orion spacecraft, brings expertise in crewed spaceflight and systems integration. Northrop Grumman, which built the lunar module for the Apollo program, contributes its knowledge of lunar lander design and development. Draper, a pioneering space navigation company, provides guidance, navigation, and control systems for the lander.
By combining their strengths and capabilities, the National Team presented a compelling proposal to NASA, offering a low-risk, high-reliability solution for landing astronauts on the Moon.
The HLS Competition: A Roller Coaster Ride
Despite the merits of its Blue Moon concept and the strength of its National Team, Blue Origin faced stiff competition in the HLS procurement process. The company was up against two other major contenders: SpaceX, with its Starship vehicle, and Dynetics, a defense contractor with its own unique lander design.
In April 2021, NASA made a surprising announcement: it had selected SpaceX as the sole winner of the HLS contract, citing budgetary constraints and the need to move forward with a single provider. This decision dealt a blow to Blue Origin’s lunar ambitions and sparked controversy within the space industry.
Undeterred, Blue Origin filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), arguing that NASA’s selection process was flawed and unfair. The company claimed that the agency had failed to properly evaluate the technical and financial merits of the competing proposals and had given SpaceX an unfair advantage.
The GAO ultimately denied Blue Origin’s protest, upholding NASA’s decision to award the HLS contract to SpaceX. However, the dispute highlighted the intense competition and high stakes involved in the race to return to the Moon.
A Second Chance: NASA Opens the Door
Recognizing the need for redundancy and competition in the HLS program, NASA announced in March 2022 that it would open a second round of bidding for lunar lander contracts. This move presented a new opportunity for Blue Origin to secure a role in the Artemis program and vindicated the company’s persistence in challenging the initial award to SpaceX.
In the ensuing competition, Blue Origin once again put forward its Blue Moon lander, emphasizing its technical maturity, versatility, and the strength of its National Team partners. The company also highlighted its commitment to sustainability, with plans to use lunar resources and establish a long-term presence on the Moon.
Victory at Last: Blue Origin Wins NASA Contract
In May 2023, after a rigorous evaluation process, NASA announced that it had selected Blue Origin as the second provider for the HLS program. The $3.4 billion contract covers the development and operation of the Blue Moon lander for the Artemis 5 mission, currently scheduled for 2029.
Under the terms of the contract, Blue Origin will conduct a series of test flights and demonstrations leading up to the crewed mission. This includes two uncrewed pathfinder missions to the lunar surface, starting as early as 2024, followed by an uncrewed test of the lander in its full NASA configuration.
The selection of Blue Origin represents a significant milestone for the company and a validation of its approach to lunar exploration. It also ensures that NASA will have multiple options for landing astronauts on the Moon, reducing risk and fostering innovation in the HLS program.
The Road Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
With the HLS contract secured, Blue Origin now faces the daunting task of turning its Blue Moon concept into a reality. The company must navigate a complex web of technical, logistical, and regulatory challenges to meet NASA’s stringent requirements and timeline for the Artemis program.
One of the key challenges will be scaling up production and testing of the Blue Moon lander. Blue Origin has already conducted extensive ground tests and simulations, but the transition to flight hardware will require significant investments in facilities, personnel, and quality control.
Another challenge will be coordinating with NASA and other Artemis partners to ensure seamless integration of the Blue Moon lander with other elements of the program, such as the Gateway lunar outpost and the Orion spacecraft. This will require close collaboration and clear communication among all stakeholders.
Despite these challenges, the HLS contract also presents tremendous opportunities for Blue Origin. By successfully delivering on its commitments to NASA, the company can establish itself as a leading provider of lunar transportation services and position itself for future exploration missions beyond the Moon.
The contract also provides a platform for Blue Origin to showcase its innovative technologies and capabilities, such as its BE-7 engine, which will power the Blue Moon lander. This engine, which runs on liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, is designed to be highly efficient and reusable, with the potential to revolutionize space transportation.
Conclusion
Blue Origin’s journey to secure a role in NASA’s Artemis program has been marked by perseverance, innovation, and a unwavering commitment to the dream of returning humans to the Moon. Through its Blue Moon lander and National Team partnership, the company has demonstrated its technical prowess and vision for sustainable lunar exploration.
While the road ahead is not without challenges, Blue Origin’s selection as a provider for the HLS program represents a major milestone and a validation of its approach. As the company works to turn its concepts into reality, it has the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the future of space exploration and to inspire a new generation of scientists, engineers, and adventurers.
Looking to the future, Blue Origin’s success in the HLS competition serves as a reminder of the power of private-public partnerships in advancing the frontiers of human knowledge and achievement. By working together, NASA and companies like Blue Origin can unlock the vast potential of the Moon and lay the foundation for a new era of discovery and exploration beyond Earth’s orbit.