NASA has announced its initial choice of three companies – Blue Origin, Dynetics and SpaceX – to design and develop human landing systems for the Artemis moon landing programme.

NASA is planning to land the astronauts on the lunar surface again by 2024, and then establish sustainable human exploration of the Moon by the end of that decade.

The three commercial enterprises are all American, and will face further tests and demonstrations before NASA signs up for their transportation services. The total combined value for all the awarded contracts is $967 million and covers a 10-month base testing period.

Pictured below is the Blue Origin design, with a three stage architecture consisting of ascent, descent and transfer elements.

“We are on our way.” said Douglas Loverro, NASA’s associate administrator for Human Explorations and Operations Mission Directorate in Washington.

“With these awards we begin an exciting partnership with the best of industry to accomplish the nation’s goals. We have much work ahead, especially over these next critical 10 months. I have high confidence that working with these teammates, we will succeed.”

The commercial partners will refine their lander concepts through the contract base period ending in February 2021, says Nasa. During that time, the US space agency will evaluate which of the contractors will perform initial demonstration missions.

NASA will later select firms, it says “for development and maturation of sustainable lander systems followed by sustainable demonstration missions”. It then intends to procure transportation to the lunar surface as commercial space transportation services, after these demonstrations are complete.

Artemis

“I am confident in NASA’s partnership with these companies to help achieve the Artemis mission and develop the human landing system returning us to the Moon” said Lisa Watson-Morgan, HLS program manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

“We have a history of proven lunar technical expertise and capabilities at Marshall and across NASA that will pave the way for our efforts to quickly and safely land humans on the Moon in 2024.”