Human Landing System
NASA still planning HLS awards by the end of April
NASA officials say the agency is still planning to make selections as part of its Human Landing System (HLS) program by the end of next month as it takes into account the reduced funding for the program.
NASA says maintaining competition a priority for lunar lander procurement
With NASA “down to the wire” in reviewing lunar lander proposals, agency officials say a priority is to maintain competition for a later procurement.
Democratic senators ask White House to continue Artemis lunar lander program
Eleven Democratic members of the U.S. Senate have asked President Joe Biden to maintain “robust funding” of NASA’s Human Landing System program given uncertainties about how the agency will proceed with that effort.
NASA to delay decision on Artemis lunar landers
NASA is delaying a decision on which companies will proceed in its effort to develop human lunar landers for the Artemis program as it grapples with a funding shortfall and a change in administrations.
NASA receives $23.271 billion in fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending bill
Congress will provide NASA with nearly $23.3 billion in the final fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending bill, restoring several science programs but falling far short of the funding sought for a lunar lander program.
NASA selects cadre of astronauts for Artemis missions
NASA has selected a team of astronauts who will be eligible for future Artemis missions to the moon even as the prospects of a 2024 crewed landing continue to dim.
Blue Origin continues work on BE-7 lunar lander engine
Blue Origin has achieved a new milestone in the development of the engine that will power the lunar lander it seeks to provide for NASA’s Artemis program.
NASA weighing lunar lander budget options
NASA is looking at ways to stretch out the budget for its Human Landing System program should there be further delays in a final appropriations bill while still seeking full funding for the program in 2021.
NASA makes push for full funding of Artemis human lunar lander program
NASA used the release of a report on the Artemis program to seek full funding of the effort to return humans to the moon, warning that they had six months to secure its budget to keep a 2024 landing on schedule.
Dynetics to use in-space refueling for NASA lunar lander
The lunar lander under development by Dynetics for NASA’s Artemis program will make use of in-space refueling of cryogenic propellants and require three launches in quick succession, company officials revealed.
NASA hopeful SLS Green Run test remains on schedule
Despite a weather-related pause in testing work, NASA still hopes to complete the Green Run test of the Space Launch System core stage in October, keeping its first launch on track for late next year.
House bill offers flat funding for NASA
A House appropriations bill released July 7 rejected the administration’s proposed major budget increase for NASA, instead offering the agency a flat budget for 2021 that takes particular aim at the agency’s efforts to develop lunar landers.
Webinar Replay | Back to the Moon: Private Partnerships for Lunar Landers
SpaceNews Senior Staff Writer Jeff Foust and Editor-in-Chief Brian Berger lead a live panel discussion about NASA's use of public-private partnerships to develop lunar landers that could return astronauts to the surface of the moon as soon as 2024. Featuring Draper, Dynetics and the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.
Op-ed | Toward a coherent Artemis plan
NASA should forget about using Starship as a lunar lander (at least for now) and instead use it as an in-orbit refueling station for much smaller landing and ascent vehicles.
