In a significant development for space exploration, NASA has chosen Blue Origin, the space company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, to build a second lunar lander. This decision comes two years after awarding Elon Musk’s SpaceX a contract to transport astronauts to the Moon’s surface.

Blue Origin’s lander, named Blue Moon, has been selected for the Artemis 5 mission, which is currently scheduled for 2029. However, before the mission can proceed with a crew, Blue Origin will need to demonstrate the lander’s ability to safely land on the Moon.

Jeff Bezos, who is also the founder and former CEO of Amazon, expressed his excitement and honor to be part of the journey with NASA in a tweet. He emphasized the significance of this endeavor, as it aims to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon.

The contract awarded to Blue Origin amounts to $3.4 billion, a substantial investment in lunar exploration. However, John Couluris, Blue Origin’s vice president in charge of lunar transport, revealed during a press conference that the company itself would contribute a significant amount beyond the contract value to develop the lander. This demonstrates Blue Origin’s commitment to advancing space technology and their belief in the importance of NASA’s Artemis program.

The Artemis program represents NASA’s ambitious plan to return to the Moon after more than half a century. It comprises a series of missions, each increasing in complexity and paving the way for human exploration and scientific research on our closest celestial neighbor.

Earlier in 2021, NASA selected SpaceX to build the lander for Artemis 3, the first mission in the series that will see astronauts set foot on the lunar surface. SpaceX’s contract was valued at $2.9 billion, supplemented by their own funding. Blue Origin also competed for this initial contract but later filed a lawsuit against NASA after SpaceX was chosen as the sole lander provider.

Originally, NASA had intended to award two contracts for the lander to ensure redundancy and mitigate risks. However, budget constraints compelled them to revise their approach. Nevertheless, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed the agency’s desire for competition and multiple landers, as they provide reliability and serve as backup options in case of unforeseen challenges.

We’re excited to be selected by @NASA to land astronauts back on the Moon, this time to stay. Time to get to work! https://t.co/hiAZZCRHMg pic.twitter.com/hdLWxhBFaz

— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) May 19, 2023

Blue Origin’s lander, the Blue Moon, is being developed in collaboration with several prominent companies in the aerospace industry. Partners such as Lockheed Martin, Draper, Boeing, Astrobotic, and Honeybee Robotics are contributing their expertise to the project, ensuring a comprehensive and robust design that can meet the demands of lunar missions.

With NASA’s selection of Blue Origin for the second lunar lander contract, the Artemis program takes another significant step forward, bringing us closer to the day when humans will once again explore the lunar surface and expand our understanding of the universe.