The NASA, SpaceX, and Blue Origin human lunar lander saga has entered a new chapter, with the US Senate directing NASA to select at least two developers for the lander but only offering an additional $100 million, not nearly enough to get the job done. Recently, NASA clashed with Congress over its leadership role in the international space race.
SpaceX won the NASA contract for a lunar landing module with a $2.9 billion project. Blue Origin lost the contract gambling with a $5.9 billion project, later sued NASA, and delayed the entire Artemis Moon Mission, which is still on standby waiting for the ruling of the Federal Judge. The case has been used as an example of the negative impacts of bringing private companies into the space sector.
Through the draft appropriation bill that governs NASA’s budget, the US Senate ordered NASA to have at least two teams for the human landing system of the Artemis mission. The Senate gave NASA a boost of $100 million. The extra funding would not even cover the development of the blueprints of a lunar landing module, let alone the construction and launch. However, the bill clearly says that NASA can petition for more funds through a request presented in a “timely fashion.”
Senate Lashes Out And Puts The Heat On NASA
The Senate lashed out at NASA for describing the government’s language as “hollow” and “rhetoric” and for “blaming Congress and the Committee for lack of resources.” They reminded NASA that they recommended committing to the program more than $4.3 billion for the next fiscal year. The Senate also warned that they expect NASA to ensure competition, robust support for research, development, testing, and evaluation of no less than two teams for the human landing system for the Moon with the funds provided. One of the lunar landing teams is expected to be SpaceX.
The Senate pushed NASA and said they are looking for “real investments'' and not “additional studies.” NASA was given 30 days to present a plan to the Committee and release it to the general public. The plan which has to detail all resources from the fiscal years 2023 to 2026, according to experts is unlikely to be produced in such a short period of time. The US Senate said that while they are fully supportive of NASA and the Artemis program there are many challenges that delay the crewed flights to the Moon.
The international space race looms in the background of the Senate bill. NASA has been urging Congress to allow relationships between NASA and the Chinese Space Agencies, assuring that the cooperation would be beneficial, but the Senate clearly expressed where it stands on the issue. The bill outlines the laws that prohibit the use of NASA funds to engage in bilateral activities with China or Chinese companies and/or host official Chinese visitors on NASA facilities without proper authorization. The Senate is clearly concerned over China’s "malign influence" and Russia’s role in space and technology was not left unmentioned. How will this new bill and direction impact the return of humankind to the Moon is still unknown, the lunar human lander saga is expected to continue.
Source: US Senate