Blue Origin Offers $2B to NASA for Lunar Lander Mission, Covering Missing Funds Against Winner, SpaceX

Blue Origin and Jeff Bezos have offered as much as $2 billion to cover in expenses to NASA, securing the Lunar Lander mission in 2024. This would go against the current contract winner, SpaceX, which has been the recent choice by the space agencies for cosmic travels. NASA has no response to this offer yet, especially as it covers missing funds in the project.

SpaceX was the top choice of NASA in the recent missions, and that was seen in the Crew Dragon and cargo supply missions towards the International Space Station.

Blue Origin offers $2B to NASA

In the recent developments, Blue Origins is now attempting to steal the contract awarded to SpaceX, by giving NASA a whole lot of money to secure it. According to Jeff Bezos' Open Letter to NASA Administrator, Bill Nelson, this offer is to "restore competition" for NASA and its selection of companies to create the HLS or Human Landing System for the Moon.

In 2024, the Artemis Moon Mission will be landing in the Moon with first woman who would walk the lunar surface and make history. Apart from this, the project currently misses out on funds, a "budgetary shortfall," says Bezos.

Here, instead of a bribe under the table, Bezos and Blue Origin offers to cover budget shortage to fully secure the contract.

This particular mission would give the company empowerment and validation, despite being the youngest and most inexperienced private space company compared to its competitors.

It is known that Blue Origins' first and only human trials to fly to the "edge of space" was with its CEO as a passenger aboard the New Shepard.

NASA Lunar Lander Contract Winner, SpaceX

The current contract winner, SpaceX, has remained silent with regards to Bezos' open letter to NASA, as nothing has changed within their agreement with the company. NASA has not responded to Bezos or made any public statements with regards to the statement made by Blue Origin.

Initially, Bezos and his space company have contested NASA's awarding of the contract to SpaceX. This decision became unacceptable for Blue, especially as they have already presented their initial designs and plans with regards to the HLS.

Will NASA Give In?

There is no knowing what NASA's response would be, but most probably, it would not revert its decision as it has already given its word to SpaceX. However, if push comes to shove and NASA would be in dire need of money, Blue Origin's offer may be worth considering.

As said earlier, both NASA and SpaceX remain silent with regards to the letter, and this may suggest that nothing has changed or affected the original decision. However, business is and always will be something unpredictable, especially in the new industry of space.

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Written by Isaiah Richard