Nasa invites bids from firms to build lunar lander for 2024 mission

Artemis project aims to create a 'sustained' human presence on the moon by 2028

There can be no doubt that Nasa is serious about trying to land astronauts on the moon by 2024.

Even though the Artemis programme has yet to be fully funded, Nasa has issued a call to US companies for a lunar landing spacecraft that will place the first woman and the next man on the moon's surface. The call has been sent out in draft form twice already this year, allowing private companies to comment and help Nasa shape the request. Now those companies have until 1 November to submit their finished proposals. From these, two companies will be contracted to provide the landers.