NASA Taps Elon Musk's SpaceX and Blue Origin to Deliver Heavy Cargo to the Moon

NASA has announced plans to use cargo landers developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin to deliver heavy equipment to the Moon in support of its Artemis missions. Each lander will be designed to carry between 26,000 and 33,000 pounds of cargo to the moon beginning in 2032.

The Verge reports that in a major development for Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, NASA has revealed that it will rely on cargo landers developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin to transport essential equipment to the lunar surface.

According to the announcement, SpaceX will be tasked with using its Starship cargo lander to deliver a pressurized rover to the Moon no earlier than 2032. Meanwhile, Blue Origin will be responsible for delivering a lunar surface habitat no sooner than 2033. Both companies have been developing human landing systems for the Artemis missions, with SpaceX working on the lander for Artemis III and Blue Origin focusing on the lander for Artemis V.

NASA had previously asked both companies to develop cargo-hauling variants of their landers, capable of carrying between 26,000 and 33,000 pounds of equipment and other materials to the Moon. The agency believes that having two lunar lander providers with different approaches for crew and cargo landing capability will provide mission flexibility and ensure a regular cadence of Moon landings for continued discovery and scientific opportunity.

Stephen D. Creech, NASA’s assistant deputy associate administrator for the Moon to Mars program, emphasized the importance of this dual-provider approach, stating, “Having two lunar lander providers with different approaches for crew and cargo landing capability provides mission flexibility while ensuring a regular cadence of Moon landings for continued discovery and scientific opportunity.”

The pressurized rover that SpaceX will deliver to the Moon’s surface will play a crucial role in the Artemis missions, enabling astronauts to explore larger areas and conduct more extensive scientific research. The lunar surface habitat, to be delivered by Blue Origin, will provide a safe and comfortable living space for astronauts during their extended stays on the Moon.