Jeff Bezos is determined to build the next NASA lunar module – he is now offering a lot of money and promoting his company Blue Origin in an open letter.
Kent / Frankfurt – No sooner has Jeff Bezos handed over the management of Amazon than he is noticeably more committed to his space company Blue Origin. First he made headlines when he flew into space aboard the capsule “First Step”, now he is causing a stir in space circles for another reason: Bezos offers the US space organization Nasa money if he does one with his company May build lunar module for the USA.
The prehistory is somewhat tricky: NASA was looking for a tender for companies that would build a lunar module with which “the first woman and the next man”, as the space organization says, will land on the moon in the coming years. The contract, worth almost three billion US dollars, was ultimately awarded to the company SpaceX from billionaire Elon Musk, which had touted its “Starship” spacecraft, which is under development. Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin came away empty-handed – also because NASA did not have the money for a second order. Blue Origin appealed against this decision to the US audit office GOA (Government Accountability Office).
Jeff Bezos wants to build lunar module for NASA – Elon Musk / SpaceX has the order
Now Jeff Bezos, as the founder of Blue Origin, speaks in an open letter to the new NASA boss Bill Nelson and offers NASA money to allow Blue Origin to build the lunar module. Blue Origin plans to assume costs of up to two billion US dollars for the development and construction of the lunar module in the current and the next two years, Bezos announced in his open letter. In addition, Blue Origin wants to accept a predetermined price for the construction of the lunar module and pay cost overruns out of pocket, Bezos continues.
Nasa doesn’t have enough money for two jobs – Jeff Bezos wants to help
“We are convinced that NASA must now return to the moon quickly and safely to promote America’s future in space,” writes Bezos in his open letter. Nasa now has “the opportunity to inspire a whole new generation of scientists, engineers and explorers”.
In his letter to Nasa boss Nelson, Bezos again criticizes the authority’s decision to award the contract to a company instead of – as previously planned – to further promote the competition with two participants. “Nasa deviated from its original strategy because of short-term budget problems. This offer removes this obstacle, ”emphasizes Bezos. There is a lot of support from both parties in the US Congress for a second lunar module for NASA’s “Artemis” program. “We believe that this offer forms a solid basis, both technically and financially, for the Americans to return to the moon – this time to stay.” So far, neither Bezos competitor Elon Musk nor the US space agency Nasa have signed up to Bezos’ Suggestion made. (Tanja Banner)
