NASA is ramping up preparations for sustained lunar exploration through its Artemis program, partnering with industry leaders and international collaborators to advance scientific discovery for the benefit of humanity. As part of these efforts, NASA plans to assign additional work to SpaceX and Blue Origin, building on existing contracts to develop large cargo landers that will deliver key equipment and infrastructure to the Moon.
Early conceptual renderings of cargo variants of human lunar landing systems from NASA’s providers SpaceX, left, and Blue Origin, right. The large cargo landers will have the capability to land approximately 26,000 to 33,000 pounds (12-15 metric tons) of large, heavy payload on the lunar surface. Credit: SpaceX/Blue Origin
The agency intends to assign demonstration missions to SpaceX and Blue Origin to refine their large cargo lander designs. These missions follow NASA’s 2023 request for both companies to create cargo versions of their human landing systems, which are already being developed for crewed Artemis missions III, IV, and V.
“NASA is planning for both crewed missions and future service missions to the Moon beyond Artemis V,” said Stephen D. Creech, assistant deputy associate administrator for technical programs in NASA’s Moon to Mars Program Office. “By engaging two providers with different approaches to crew and cargo landers, we ensure mission flexibility while establishing a consistent cadence of Moon landings for discovery and scientific advancement.”
Demonstration Missions for Cargo Landers
NASA envisions at least two large cargo delivery missions under the Artemis program. SpaceX’s Starship cargo lander is expected to transport a pressurized rover, developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), to the Moon no earlier than fiscal year 2032 in support of Artemis VII and subsequent missions. Blue Origin will deliver a lunar surface habitat as part of a mission scheduled for no earlier than fiscal year 2033.
Lisa Watson-Morgan, program manager for NASA’s Human Landing System at the Marshall Space Flight Center, emphasized the significance of these missions: “These large cargo lander demonstrations leverage NASA and industry expertise, resources, and funding to prepare for future deep space exploration. SpaceX and Blue Origin will play key roles in advancing lunar infrastructure.”
SpaceX will continue developing its Starship cargo lander under Option B of the NextSTEP Appendix H contract, while Blue Origin will pursue its demonstration mission under NextSTEP Appendix P. NASA plans to issue an initial request for proposals to both companies by early 2025.
Through the Artemis program, NASA aims to explore more of the Moon than ever before, develop the ability to live and work on its surface, and lay the groundwork for future Mars exploration. Key elements of this effort include NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, Orion spacecraft, next-generation spacesuits, the Gateway lunar space station, and advanced rovers.
“Artemis represents a collaborative vision for the future of space exploration,” added Creech. “With industry and international partnerships, we’re creating the infrastructure and knowledge necessary for humanity’s next giant leap.”
As NASA looks beyond Artemis V, the agency’s collaboration with SpaceX and Blue Origin ensures that sustained lunar exploration remains a reality, unlocking unprecedented opportunities for science, innovation, and discovery.
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