Artemis
NASA to seek proposals for Gateway logistics
NASA will issue a formal call for proposals later this summer for cargo transportation services for its lunar Gateway, seeking to model that effort on the space station’s commercial cargo program.
Bridenstine to meet with international partners on lunar plans at Paris Air Show
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine plans to meet with international counterparts in Paris this week to discuss cooperation on the agency’s Artemis lunar program, but says those discussions are still in their early stages.
Paying for Artemis: How much will it cost to go back to the moon?
NASA has laid out a rough plan for what it now calls the Artemis program, including what needs to be built — SLS and Orion, a “minimal” Gateway and lunar landers — and how it can come together in time for a 2024 landing. What the agency has been less forthcoming about, though, is how much it will cost.
Bridenstine estimates Artemis cost at $20–30 billion
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a television interview June 13 that it will cost the agency an additional $20 billion to $30 billion to return humans to the moon, the first range of costs given by the agency for the program.
Scientists fear cuts to NASA science to pay for Artemis
Scientists and the chair of a key House committee expressed concern at a June 11 hearing that NASA could raid science programs to pay for its accelerated return to the moon.
Safety panel calls on NASA to apply commercial crew lessons for Artemis
As NASA starts development of lunar landers for Artemis, it should carefully incorporate the lessons learned from the commercial crew program, a safety panel advised.
White House reiterates human moon missions on the path to Mars
A day after President Trump appeared to cast doubt on NASA’s plans to send humans to the moon, a White House official said the moon remained a goal of the agency’s programs as a step towards Mars.
Trump tweet throws space policy into chaos
President Donald Trump disrupted months of civil space policy development in a single tweet June 7, suggesting that NASA should not return humans to the Moon.
NASA offers mixed messages on future budgets
While NASA’s administrator says the Artemis lunar program won’t come at the expense of other projects, others at the agency warn that internal cuts will likely be needed to afford a human lunar return by 2024.
Bridenstine says debate only beginning over funding 2024 return to the moon
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said the administration’s request to add $1.6 billion to the agency’s 2020 budget to start work on the Artemis lunar program was not “dead on arrival” despite a lack of action on it by House appropriators.
