NASA chose Elon Musk’s SpaceX over Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and defense contractor Dynetics Inc., for a $2.9 billion contract to develop a spacecraft that will take astronauts to the moon as early as 2024, the agency announced on Friday.
According to Forbes, Bezos, and Musk, the world’s first and third-richest people, were vying to take humanity back to the moon for the first time since 1972.
Musk’s SpaceX offer was the only one, while Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin teamed up with Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N), and Draper. Leidos Holdings Inc. have a division called Dynetics (LDOS.N)
NASA is the best!!” Following the announcement, Musk took to Twitter to express his thoughts.
The contract for the first commercial human lander was won by NASA, as part of its Artemis program. The lander would transport two American astronauts to the lunar surface, according to NASA.
During the video conference announcement, NASA’s acting administrator, Steve Jurczyk, said, “We can accomplish the next landing as soon as possible.”
“We have a chance at 2024 if they reach their milestones,” Jurczyk said.
According to NASA, SpaceX’s Starship has a large cabin and two airlocks for astronaut moonwalks, and its construction is planned to develop into a completely reusable launch and landing device for trips to the Moon, Mars, and others celestial destinations.
“We are humbled to help @NASAArtemis usher in a new age of human space exploration,” SpaceX wrote on Twitter.
Unlike the Apollo landings, which were the only human visits to the moon’s surface from 1969 to 1972, NASA is planning a longer-term lunar presence as a steppingstone to an even more ambitious mission to send astronauts to Mars. NASA is relying heavily on private companies with common space exploration visions.
NASA official Lisa Watson-Morgan told reporters that a test flight of the lander to the moon would be needed before humans travel there.
NASA had planned to narrow the lunar lander competition to two companies by the end of April, but instead chose only SpaceX, deepening their partnership. NASA announced on Thursday that its crew would be launched to the International Space Station on April 22 aboard a SpaceX rocket.
The agency intends to provide daily lunar service and has announced that a separate competition will be held for that contract.
“We have to be able to provide recurring lunar services,” said Mark Kirasich, NASA’s Advanced Exploration Systems division deputy associate administrator.
The news added to Musk’s incredible run, which has seen his electric car company Tesla Inc. (TSLA.O) become the world’s most successful automaker, with a market capitalization of $702 billion.
Musk has developed into a one-man technology conglomerate, launching or managing businesses focused on space travel, electric vehicles, neural implants, and subterranean tunnel boring.
Musk has laid out a bold plan for SpaceX and its reusable rockets, which includes putting humans on Mars. SpaceX’s key business in the short term has been launching satellites for Musk’s Starlink internet venture, as well as other satellites and space cargo. On Wednesday, SpaceX reported that it had raised $1.16 billion in equity funding.
