One of these companies could deliver American astronauts to the moon in 2024


Blue Origin, Dynetics and SpaceX will build landers to carry astronauts to the moon under NASA’s Artemis program, the agency said today. One of these Human Landing Systems will later be selected to carry astronauts to the surface on the first mission, scheduled for 2024. Boeing was not selected. Here are the awardees:

• Dynetics’ two-part lander. It will be launched in one piece on a ULA Vulcan.

• SpaceX’s one-stage lander, Starship. It will launched on a SpaceX Super Heavy rocket.

• Blue Origin’s three-part lander (opening illustration). The parts will be launched on a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket and a United Launch Alliance Vulcan in a combination that has not yet been specified. These launch vehicles are scheduled to make their first flights in 2021.

NASA did not immediately release dollar values.

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Human Spaceflight
An artist's illustration of astronauts exploring the moon near a spacecraft with two large solar panels and an American flag planted nearby.
An artist's concept of the Dynetics Human Landing System. Credit: Dynetics
A white spacecraft stands upright on a lunar surface with Earth visible in the dark sky in the background.
A rendering of SpaceX's Starship. Credit: SpaceX

One of these companies could deliver American astronauts to the moon in 2024