![]() Chicago Mercantile: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. US market indices are shown in real time, except for the S&P 500 which is refreshed every two minutes. Your CNN account Log in to your CNN account Humans last explored the lunar surface during the final Apollo mission, Apollo 17, in 1972. NASA expects to land the first woman and the next man on moon’s south pole in 2024 through its Artemis program. “Without competition, NASA’s short-term and long-term lunar ambitions will be delayed, will ultimately cost more, and won’t serve the national interest.” “Without competition, a short time into the contract, NASA will find itself with limited options as it attempts to negotiate missed deadlines, design changes, and cost overruns,” he wrote. “īezos repeatedly emphasized the need for NASA to promote healthy competition as the agency works toward its return to the moon, suggesting that the government would regret not doing so. ![]() This offer provides time for government appropriation actions to catch up. “This offer is not a deferral, but is an outright and permanent waiver of those payments. “Blue Origin will bridge the HLS budgetary funding shortfall by waiving all payments in the current and next two government fiscal years up to $2 billion to get the program back on track right now,” he wrote. Now Bezos - fresh from his space flight last week - wants to make sure money does not come in the way. But in April, NASA made the surprise announcement that it would move forward with SpaceX as the sole contractor for the project, citing costs as a primary reason.īlue Origin openly pushed back against the decision. The agency originally intended to have at least two private-sector companies compete to build the spacecraft that will ferry astronauts to the lunar surface for the Artemis moon landing missions - a project called the Human Landing System (HLS). ![]() The GAO's decision is expected by early August, though industry sources viewed the possibility of a reversal is unlikely.The billionaires' space race is only just beginning ![]() Government Accountability Office (GAO), accusing NASA of giving SpaceX an unfair advantage by allowing it to revise its pricing. Blue Origin's lunar lander is called "Blue Moon." Bezos and Musk are the world's first and third richest people respectively, according to Forbes.īezos' offer came six days after he flew alongside three crewmates to the edge of space aboard Blue Origin's rocket-and-capsule New Shepard, a milestone for the company's bid to become a major player in an emerging space tourism market.Īfter losing out to SpaceX, Blue Origin filed a protest with the U.S. NASA and SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment.īefore choosing SpaceX, NASA had asked for proposals for a spacecraft that would carry astronauts to the lunar surface under its Artemis program to return humans to the moon for the first time since 1972. "Without competition, NASA's short-term and long-term lunar ambitions will be delayed, will ultimately cost more, and won't serve the national interest," Bezos added. "NASA veered from its original dual-source acquisition strategy due to perceived near-term budgetary issues, and this offer removes that obstacle," Bezos wrote. In exchange, Blue Origin would accept a firm, fixed-priced contract, and cover any system development cost overruns, Bezos said. In a letter to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Bezos said Blue Origin would waive payments in the government's current fiscal year and the next ones after that up to $2 billion, and pay for an orbital mission to vet its technology. The space agency cited its own funding shortfalls, SpaceX's proven record of orbital missions, and other factors in a contract decision that senior NASA official Kathy Lueders called "what's the best value to the government." Blue Origin had partnered with Lockheed Martin Corp, Northrop Grumman Corp, and Draper in the bid. NASA in April awarded rival billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract to build a spacecraft to bring astronauts to the lunar surface as early as 2024, rejecting bids from Blue Origin and defense contractor Dynetics. space agency awards his company Blue Origin a contract to make a spacecraft designed to land astronauts back on the moon. SEATTLE -Fresh off his trip to space, billionaire businessman Jeff Bezos on Monday offered to cover up to $2 billion in NASA costs if the U.S.
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