Image source: SpaceX/Blue Origin

NASAin collaboration with industry leaders and international partners, advances its Artemis campaign aimed at establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon. This ambitious program is designed to deepen scientific understanding, enable groundbreaking discoveries and lay the foundation for future exploration of Mars.
At the heart of Artemis is the development of large cargo landers by SpaceX and Blue Origin, tasked with delivering critical equipment and infrastructure to the lunar surface. By integrating innovative technologies and leveraging global partnerships, NASA envisions a future of regular crewed missions and cargo deliveries to the Moon, fostering continued exploration and technological advancement.

NASA plans key Artemis missions for SpaceX and Blue Origin

To refine the design of the large cargo landers, NASA will give demonstration missions to SpaceX and Blue Origin after successful design certification reviews. These missions build on NASA’s 2023 directive that the two companies create cargo versions of their human landing systems, already in development for Artemis III, IV and V.
“NASA is planning crewed and future service missions to the Moon beyond Artemis V,” said Stephen D. Creech, deputy assistant administrator for technical aspects of the Moon to Mars Program Office. “Collaboration with international and industrial partners guarantees flexibility and a constant cadence of lunar landings, thus promoting discovery and scientific growth.”

Developing large lunar cargo landers: SpaceX and Blue Origin

NASA has defined at least two major missions for delivering large cargo:

NASA has made significant progress in the design and development of crewed and cargo landers for its Artemis program. As part of these efforts, the space agency awarded a pressurized rover mission to SpaceX and a lunar habitat mission to Blue Origin. Lisa Watson-Morgan, NASA’s Human Landing System program manager, explained that these missions are part of NASA’s broader strategy to advance lunar exploration.
The demonstration missions, which will be carried out by SpaceX and Blue Origin, are designed to leverage the technical expertise and resources of NASA and the private sector. SpaceX will continue development of its cargo lander under Option B of the NextSTEP Annex H contract, while Blue Origin will advance its mission under NextSTEP Annex P. NASA plans to issue an initial request for proposals to both companies in early 2025, marking the next phase of the Artemis Collaboration.

Building the future: Artemis components for deep space exploration

Through Artemis, NASA aims to explore more of the Moon than ever before, develop the ability to live and work in deep space, and prepare for future missions to Mars. Key elements of the program include:

These efforts position NASA to lead a new era of exploration, fostering scientific discoveries and technological innovations beyond Earth. With Artemis, humanity takes its first steps toward sustainable exploration of deep space, ensuring that our return to the Moon is not just a visit but a leap to the stars.
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