TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Elon Musk, owner of the company SpaceX, won a contract worth USD.2.9 billion (Rp.42 trillion) from NASA. Under the contract, SpaceX was asked to build an airplane outer space to get astronauts to the moon as early as 2024.
The contract, which was won by SpaceX, beat Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and defense contractor company Dynetics Inc. Bezos and Musk are both included in the list of the richest people in the world according to Forbes Magazine, where Bezos is in first place and Musk is at number three.
If the SpaceX-made spacecraft is completed, it will bring humans back to the moon for the first time since 1972.
SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk. REUTERS / Hannibal Hanschke
SpaceX submitted tenders to NASA on its own behalf. Meanwhile, Blue Origini partnered with Lockheed Martin Corp. Then there is Northrop Grumman Corp., which partnered with Draper. Meanwhile, Dynetics is part of Leidos Holding Inc.
“NASA Rules !!,” Musk wrote on Twitter, following the announcement of the tender.
NASA is the United States space agency. The contract, which was won by SpaceX, is the first commercial aircraft to land a human or part of NASA’s Artemis program. NASA said the spacecraft would later carry two American astronauts to land on the lunar surface.
“We have to complete the landing mission as soon as possible. If they succeed (SpaceX), then we can launch in 2024, “said Stave Jurczyk, NASA staff.
The spacecraft made by SpaceX will include two spacious cabin spaces and two air keys for astronauts who want to walk on the lunar surface. The design of this aircraft, later on will also be the design of the next spacecraft to serve exploration of the moon, Mars and other destinations in outer space.
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Source: Reuters
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