Through the Artemis Program, NASA hopes to lay the foundations for a program of “sustained lunar exploration and development.” This ambition is encapsulated in their plans for systematic preparations for the Moon, aimed at achieving regular missions to the lunar surface, constructing necessary infrastructure, establishing habitats, and ensuring a long-term human presence on the Moon. NASA is collaborating with various industry and international partners to design and develop effective Human Landing Systems (HLS) capable of efficiently transporting crews to and from the lunar surface. Additionally, there are initiatives in place to create functional landers that will "deliver payloads" of necessary equipment, vehicles, and supplies critical for these missions.
In a recent statement, NASA indicated its intention to award contracts to Blue Origin and SpaceX under their existing agreements for the development of lunar landers tasked with delivering essential equipment and infrastructure necessary for sustaining human efforts on the lunar surface. Furthermore, NASA has set the groundwork for demonstration missions, laying the path for design certification reviews to validate the proposed concepts by these two companies. This strategic decision builds on a request made earlier in 2023, urging both companies to work on cargo versions of their Human Landing Systems concepts, which are currently in the developmental phase for upcoming missions, including Artemis III, Artemis IV, and Artemis V.
NASA's Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator (Technical) for the Moon to Mars Program Office, Stephen D. Creech, commented on this decision by stating:
“NASA is planning for both crewed missions and future services missions to the Moon beyond Artemis V. The Artemis campaign is a collaborative effort with international and industry partners. Having two lunar lander providers with different approaches for crew and cargo landing capability provides mission flexibility while ensuring a regular cadence of Moon landings for continued discovery and scientific opportunity.”
This collaborative effort is imperative given NASA's increasing demand for lunar transport capabilities. Earlier this year, NASA emphasized the necessity for vehicles capable of accommodating significant payload deliveries, which could range from 2,000 to 6,000 kg (approximately 4,400 to 13,000 pounds) to the Moon. Recent announcements from NASA have indicated plans for at least two heavy payload missions dedicated to delivering components for the Artemis Base Camp, which will require large cargo landers boasting the capacity to deliver around 12 to 15 metric tons (approximately 13 to 16.5 U.S. tons) of heavy cargo onto the lunar surface.
To realize these ambitious goals, NASA has devised specific mission schedules, notably engaging SpaceX in the development of a cargo lander variant of their Starship slated to deliver the Habitable Mobility Platform (HMP). This pressurized rover is currently under development by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and is expected to launch no earlier than 2032 in alignment with Artemis VII and subsequent missions. Meanwhile, NASA anticipates that Blue Origin will replicate this with the delivery of the Lunar Surface Habitat element using its Blue Moon lander, a mission targeting a 2033 delivery date.
NASA's Human Landing System program manager, Dr. Lisa Watson-Morgan, elaborated on the developmental progress of the cargo systems, stating:
“Based on current design and development progress for both crew and cargo landers and the Artemis mission schedules for the crew lander versions, NASA has assigned a pressurized rover mission for SpaceX and a lunar habitat delivery for Blue Origin. These large cargo lander demonstration missions are pivotal in optimizing NASA’s and industry partners’ technical expertise, financial resources, and infrastructure as we prepare to advance deep space exploration.”
The forthcoming missions will certainly push aerospace technology to new heights, necessitating both innovation and efficiency. NASA, alongside its partners, continues to forge ahead, developing the necessary technologies for deep space exploration. Current endeavors emphasize the critical need for efficient transport and logistics systems to facilitate upcoming lunar and, ultimately, Martian missions.
For detailed insights on the Artemis Program and its developments, further reading can be sought at NASA.
References
Universetoday. “NASA has Plans for More Cargo Deliveries to the Moon.” https://www.universetoday.com/170022/nasa-has-plans-for-more-cargo-deliveries-to-the-moon/