6.8 day old moon
43.4 percent lit
17 April 2021By Richard Luscombe
Nasa has chosen SpaceX (click here) to build the next-generation spacecraft that will return humans to the moon, further strengthening Elon Musk’s grip on the burgeoning public-private space industry.
The $2.9bn contract to build the lunar lander that will spearhead the Artemis program, Nasa’s ambitious project to return to the moon for the first time since the final Apollo mission in 1972, was announced on Friday.
“The Artemis lunar landing is a key piece to our moon-to-Mars strategy,” Steve Jurczyk, acting Nasa administrator, told reporters. “Today is a big step forward. This is an incredible time to be involved in human exploration for all humanity.”
Musk’s company is currently the only operation with the capability of launching astronauts from US soil. But Nasa’s decision to go with a sole contractor for its human landing system (HLS) raised eyebrows.
Traditionally, the agency has preferred to stimulate competition and protect against setbacks by keeping at least two contractors on the payroll....
Artemis, Goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, the Moon, and chastity., known as the "Diana of Versailles", as exhibited in the Louvre Museum, Paris, France. 2nd century CE copied from a Greek original dating to 330 BCE.
