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NASA has stopped work on SpaceX 9 2.9 billion lunar landers To send astronauts back to the moon due to protests from Blue Origin and Dynamics, the space company did not choose to build its lunar lander.
On Friday, NASA spokeswoman Monica Witt issued a brief statement announcing the suspension, saying it would remain until the authority’s responsible office resolves complaints related to the purchase. Engadget. GAO is up 4. aug, To determine the challenges Blue Origin, which was recently established by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and security contractor Dynamics.
“26. “In April, NASA was informed that the Blue Origin consortium and Dynamics had lodged protests against the choice of a human landing system at the US Government Accountability Office (GAO),” said Wight. “Following the GAO demonstrations, NASA asked SpaceX to suspend the progress of the HLS agreement until GAO decides on all ongoing issues related to this acquisition. NASA can not comment further as the case is ongoing. ”
Kismoto contacted NASA on Saturday to confirm Witt’s report, but did not receive a response at the time of launch. Feedback from SpaceX was not immediately available. We will update this blog if we ask again.
The suspension ordered by NASA for SpaceX’s mission to the lunar lander will use its starship launch system, which means that SpaceX will not immediately receive the first part of the $ 2.9 billion price tag. Marginrapport. The company will not even start initial negotiations with NASA, which is usually the beginning of a larger deal.
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Nevertheless, the edge noted that the company has the potential to continue to grow in Starship, given that it plans to transport cargo and personnel to Earth’s orbit, the Moon and Mars using SpaceX Starship. Earlier this week, the Federal Aviation Administration said It was recognized The next three launches of the prototype of the starship. Many prototypes of starships carried large planes, but to date all planes have exploded.
In the complaint filed on Monday, The blue look was blamed NASA “had a faulty procurement for the Human Landing System project and moved target posts at the last minute.” First, the company says that NASA indicated its desire to give two awards to its lunar lander system, but changed its mind due to “perceived shortcomings” in current and future budgets. Going with a single supplier threatens to eliminate competition in this area, says Blue Origin.
That’s not all. Among other perceived scenes, Blue Origin also calls for the price of a lunar lander. The company paid NASA $ 99.99 billion dollars, more than twice as much as SpaceX. On the other hand, The company says NASA allowed SpaceX to revise the price, but did not give Blue Origin and Dynamics the same opportunity.
Dynamics too Posted the complaint On Monday, NASA argued that they should have revised their approach to the lunar lander or withdrawn the request when it became aware that the two companies did not have the funds to support it. SpaceNews reported. Instead, NASA decided to go “with the most competitive and high-risk option available”.
NASA’s decision to make SpaceX a lunar lander in the near future, confirmed by Dynamics, according to Space News. The company also criticized NASA’s analysis of SpaceX’s technological approach.
“NASA has failed to assess the risks inherent in SpaceX’s technological approach, and in particular information that NASA cannot ignore – that is, four SpaceX starships have exploded at various stages of test flights in recent months,” Dynamics said in the complaint. “NASA has given a passport to SpaceX because such systems lack engineering.”
The company has a point there. Blue Origin seemed to be at the forefront of the lottery process, and the choice for the lunar lander was considered sensitive and safe. SpaceX must prove that the approach to the starship is possible, including filling a rocket into space and landing a rocket vertically on the moon’s surface. None of these things have been done before. Its starships must not explode.
NASA’s current plan is to send two astronauts – a man and a woman – to the lunar surface by 2024.
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