After years of delays, NASA’s Artemis mission to the moon began with much fanfare more than two years ago, starting with the unmanned Artemis 1 in November 2022. That legacy continues today, with NASA announcing a new research contract on Thursday. The combined total for the nine companies in seven states is $24 million. These companies will develop strategies and technologies for humans to live and work on the Moon.
Beneficiaries include Blue Origin, run by Amazon and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos. Other companies include Intuitive Machines, Leidos, Lockheed Martin, MDA Space, Moonprint, Pratt Miller Defense, Sierra Space, and Special Aerospace Services. They will provide a wide range of science and technology services, from developing spacecraft and solving biological problems to understanding the logistics of advanced space travel.
“These contract awards are a catalyst to develop critical capabilities for the Artemis mission and the day-to-day needs of astronauts for long-term exploration on the lunar surface,” said NASA Headquarters Strategic Architecture in Washington. said Nujud Merancy, deputy deputy administrator of the department. In a statement. “The strong response to our request for proposals is a testament to the interest in human exploration and the growth of the deep space economy. This will lead to increased innovation and knowledge for future lunar exploration missions.”
An artist’s rendering of an astronaut managing logistics on the moon. (NASA)
The Artemis campaign began during President Donald Trump’s first term with the goal of reviving U.S. lunar exploration. Until then, the Artemis program has been plagued by technical and logistical issues, but President Trump and his advisor, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, have vowed to eradicate them in his second term. I swore. Their goal is to put America not only on the Moon, but also on Mars, but it’s unclear whether humans can actually survive there. Three weeks ago, Musk said the moon was a “distraction” and that manned flights to Mars would be a priority over a lunar base.
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