NASA Selects Blue Origin for Astronaut Mission to the Moon

NASA – ARTEMIS Program emblem.

Might 19, 2023

NASA has awarded a NextSTEP-2 Appendix P Sustaining Lunar Improvement (SLD) contract to Blue Origin. Blue Origin’s Nationwide Crew companions embody Lockheed Martin, Draper, Boeing, Astrobotic, and Honeybee Robotics.

Picture above: A rendering of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander that can return astronauts to the Moon as a part of NASA’s Artemis program. Picture Credit score: Blue Origin.

Below this contract, Blue Origin and its Nationwide Crew companions will develop and fly each a lunar lander that may make a precision touchdown wherever on the Moon’s floor and a cislunar transporter. These autos are powered by LOX-LH2. The high-specific impulse of LOX-LH2 supplies a dramatic benefit for high-energy deep house missions. Nonetheless, decrease performing however extra simply storable propellants (equivalent to hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide as used on the Apollo lunar landers) have been favored for these missions due to the problematic boil-off of LOX-LH2 throughout their lengthy mission timelines. 

By means of this contract, we are going to transfer the state-of-the-art ahead by making high-performance LOX-LH2 a storable propellant mixture. Below SLD, we are going to develop and fly solar-powered 20-degree Kelvin cryocoolers and the opposite applied sciences required to stop LOX-LH2 boil-off. Future missions past the Moon, and enabling capabilities equivalent to high-performance nuclear thermal propulsion, will profit drastically from storable LH2. Blue Origin’s structure additionally prepares for that future day when lunar ice can be utilized to fabricate LOX and LH2 propellants on the Moon.
 
Blue Origin and its companions are already at work and are excited to be on this journey with NASA.

Associated hyperlinks:

NASA Selects Blue Origin for Astronaut Mission to the Moon:
https://www.blueorigin.com/information/nasa-selects-blue-origin-for-mission-to-moon/

Blue Origin: https://www.blueorigin.com/

Artemis: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/

Picture (talked about), Textual content, Credit: Blue Origin.

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