Nasa selects Blue Origin for first of three uncrewed lunar missions
The Story
Nasa announced plans for three uncrewed lunar missions in 2026 to begin construction of a $20bn moon base. The agency selected Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin to conduct the first mission, ahead of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Key Facts
- Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman announced the selection at a press conference in Washington DC.
- Blue Origin will conduct the first mission as early as fall 2026.
- Nasa awarded Blue Origin $230.4m for each of its first two moon base missions.
- The lander will be Endurance, a cryogenically propelled cargo lander.
- The landing site is the Shackleton de Gerlache Ridge area of the moon’s south pole.
- The moon base project is part of Donald Trump’s national space policy.
- Nasa also announced smaller contracts with Lunar Outpost and Firefly Aerospace.
- A Nasa moonbase website gives a timeframe of 2029–2032 for base operating capability and 2032 or beyond for semi-permanent presence.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Jared Isaacman, Nasa administrator
- Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin
- Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX
- Lunar Outpost, private space company
- Firefly Aerospace, private space company
- Donald Trump, U.S. president
Sources
- The Guardian — Primary Source (single-source story)
