NASA Picks SpaceX & Blue Origin for Artemis Moon Landers

Yes — NASA has selected SpaceX and Blue Origin to build the human landing systems for its Artemis Moon missions. Under the current plan, SpaceX’s Starship HLS will carry astronauts to the lunar surface for Artemis III (the first crewed landing) and Artemis IV, while Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 will serve as a second lander for Artemis V and later missions. This dual-provider approach gives NASA two independent ways to reach the Moon, much like it has two commercial crew providers for the International Space Station.

Formula

The calculator above works out the average speed a spacecraft would need to travel to cover a given distance in a given time. The formula is:

Average speed (km/h) = Distance (km) ÷ Time (hours)

where Time (hours) = Mission duration (days) × 24. For the default values — 384,400 km (the average Earth–Moon distance) and 30 days — the average speed is 384,400 ÷ (30 × 24) = 384,400 ÷ 720 = 533.9 km/h. The second output converts that to metres per second: 533.9 × 1000 ÷ 3600 ≈ 148.3 m/s.

This is a simple average; real missions do not travel at constant speed. They accelerate, coast, and slow down, so the actual trajectory involves higher peak speeds and longer times. But the average gives a rough feel for the scale of the journey.

Worked Example

Using the defaults from the calculator:

1. Mission duration = 30 days → 30 × 24 = 720 hours.
2. Distance = 384,400 km.
3. Average speed = 384,400 ÷ 720 = 533.888… km/h, which rounds to 534 km/h.
4. In m/s: 534 × 1000 ÷ 3600 = 148.3 m/s.

So a 30-day trip to the Moon averages about 534 km/h — slow by spacecraft standards, because the journey includes time in orbit and the spacecraft does not travel in a straight line at constant speed.

Background: The Artemis Program

The Artemis program is NASA’s effort to return humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. Unlike Apollo, which was a short visit, Artemis aims to build a sustained presence, including a small space station called Gateway in lunar orbit. The program is named after Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology.

NASA’s plan uses the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to send the Orion capsule with astronauts to lunar orbit. From there, the crew transfers to a human landing system (HLS) that takes them to the surface. After their surface stay, the HLS returns them to Orion for the trip home.

In April 2021, NASA awarded SpaceX a contract to develop Starship HLS for Artemis III. In May 2023, NASA added Blue Origin as a second provider, with a contract for Blue Moon Mark 2. The goal is to have two different landers, so if one is delayed or has technical issues, the other can still fly.

How the Landers Work

Both landers are designed to take astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back, but they are very different in size and design.

• SpaceX Starship HLS: A variant of the Starship spacecraft, standing about 50 metres tall. It uses liquid oxygen and methane engines (Raptor). It will be launched to Earth orbit and refuelled by tanker Starships, then travel to the Moon. It lands using its engines, and an elevator lowers astronauts to the surface. It is intended to carry up to two astronauts on the first landing.
• Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 2: A smaller, single-piece lander about 16 metres tall. It uses liquid hydrogen and oxygen (BE-7 engines). It is designed to launch on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, but could also fly on other rockets. It has a large window and an open crew deck. It is also rated for two astronauts.

Both landers must meet NASA’s requirements for life support, docking, and the ability to land safely on the Moon’s south pole region, where there are permanently shadowed craters that may hold water ice.

Why Two Landers?

NASA chose two providers for redundancy and competition. With only one lander, a single failure could ground the entire program. Having two means if one is delayed, the other can still fly. It also encourages innovation and cost control, as each company works to win future missions.

The contracts are not equal in value. SpaceX’s original contract was about $2.9 billion. Blue Origin’s contract is worth about $3.4 billion. Both are fixed-price contracts, meaning the companies bear the cost of overruns, which is a change from traditional NASA contracting.

The selection was not without controversy. After SpaceX won the first contract, Blue Origin protested the decision, and NASA paused the work for a short time. Eventually, NASA decided to fund both, which some saw as a compromise.

Common Misconceptions

One common misunderstanding is that the landers are “rockets� that go from Earth to the Moon directly. In reality, they only operate in space and on the lunar surface. They are launched to Earth orbit by other rockets, then travel to lunar orbit, then land. They do not launch from Earth’s surface themselves.

Another misconception is that the landers will carry astronauts all the way from Earth. They do not. The astronauts ride in Orion for the Earth-to-Moon leg. The lander is only used for the final descent and ascent.

People also ask why NASA doesn’t just use the same lander for every mission. The answer is that having two different designs provides resilience and keeps the program moving even if one company faces technical hurdles.

Timeline and Missions

NASA’s current schedule is ambitious but subject to change:

• Artemis I (uncrewed) — launched in November 2022, tested Orion and SLS.
• Artemis II (crewed flyby) — planned for late 2024 or later, will carry four astronauts around the Moon.
• Artemis III (first landing) — planned for 2025 or later, will use SpaceX Starship HLS. Two astronauts will land near the lunar south pole.
• Artemis IV — planned for 2028, will use Starship HLS again, and will deliver the first module of Gateway.
• Artemis V — planned for 2029, will use Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2.

These dates are estimates. Development of new spacecraft often takes longer than planned, and NASA has already pushed back the schedule several times.

Cost and Funding

The Artemis program is expensive. NASA’s budget for the program was about $93 billion from 2012 to 2025, according to the agency’s own estimates. The lander contracts are a fraction of that — roughly $6.3 billion combined for the two landers. The SLS rocket and Orion capsule account for a large share of the cost.

Fixed-price contracts mean the companies must absorb cost overruns, which is a shift from the old “cost-plus� model where the government paid all costs plus a fee. This is intended to keep costs down, but it also means companies may take on more financial risk.

Safety and Risks

Landing on the Moon is risky. The lander must autonomously navigate to a safe spot, avoid boulders and slopes, and touch down gently. The south pole region has rugged terrain and long shadows, making navigation harder.

Both landers use advanced sensors and algorithms to find a safe landing site. Starship uses a camera and lidar-based system. Blue Moon uses a similar approach. NASA requires the landers to meet specific safety standards, including the ability to abort and return to orbit if something goes wrong.

Another risk is the refuelling requirement for Starship. To get to the Moon, Starship must be refuelled in Earth orbit, which requires multiple tanker launches. This is a new capability that has never been done at scale. Blue Moon avoids this by using a single launch, but it must be more efficient with its fuel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will SpaceX and Blue Origin land astronauts on the Moon?

Yes, both companies are building landers for NASA’s Artemis program. SpaceX’s Starship HLS is scheduled for the first crewed landing (Artemis III), and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 is scheduled for Artemis V. However, the schedule may slip due to technical challenges.

Why did NASA choose two companies instead of one?

NASA wants redundancy and competition. With two landers, if one is delayed or fails, the other can still fly. This approach also encourages innovation and keeps costs down through competition.

How much will the landers cost?

SpaceX’s contract is about $2.9 billion, and Blue Origin’s is about $3.4 billion. These are fixed-price contracts, meaning the companies pay for any cost overruns.

Can the landers go directly from Earth to the Moon?

No. The landers are launched to Earth orbit by other rockets, then travel to lunar orbit, then land. They do not launch from Earth’s surface themselves. Astronauts ride in Orion for the Earth-to-Moon leg.

What is the difference between Starship HLS and Blue Moon?

Starship is much larger (about 50 m tall) and needs refuelling in Earth orbit. Blue Moon is smaller (about 16 m tall) and uses a single launch. Both land two astronauts and are designed for the south pole region.

When will the first landing happen?

NASA currently targets 2025 or later for Artemis III, but the date is uncertain. Development of new spacecraft often takes longer than planned, and the schedule has already slipped multiple times.

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in t | Mission duration | days | 30 | 0
in d | Distance to Moon | km | 384400 | 0
out pace | Average speed | km/h | d / (t * 24) | 0
out speed_ms | Speed in m/s | m/s | (d * 1000) / (t * 24 * 3600) | 1