SpaceX's Starship to Return Humanity to the Moon in Stunning NASA Decision
takyon writes:
SpaceX's Starship to return humanity to the Moon in stunning NASA decision:
In one of the biggest NASA contracting surprises in years, the space agency has chosen SpaceX - and only SpaceX - to return humans to the surface of the Moon with its next-generation Starship rocket.
The Washington Post's Christian Davenport broke the news a few hours before NASA's scheduled announcement and teleconference, revealing that SpaceX beat out Dynetics and a Blue Origin-led "National Team" for a sole-source contract to build, launch, and land a custom version of Starship on the Moon for $2.89 billion. If that uncrewed testing is successful, SpaceX and Starship will be tasked with landing the first astronauts on the Moon in half a century [in as early as the] mid-2020s.
NASA was expected to pick two landers.
Also at NASA, Ars Technica, CNBC, The Verge, and Space News.
See also: NASA delays starting contract with SpaceX for Gateway cargo services
Previously: NASA Selects SpaceX, Dynetics, and Blue Origin to Develop Manned Lunar Landers
NASA Will Soon Choose One of These 3 Landers to Go Back to the Moon
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