:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69215255/for_press_release.0.jpeg)
Posted on 05/02/2021 1:15:26 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
NASA has suspended work on SpaceX’s new $2.9 billion lunar lander contract while a federal watchdog agency adjudicates two protests over the award, the agency said Friday... Elon Musk's SpaceX was picked by NASA on April 16th to build the agency's first human lunar lander since the Apollo program, as the agency opted to rely on just one company for a high-profile contract that many in the space industry expected to go to two companies... SpaceX’s private Starship development will likely continue.
A digital illustration of SpaceX's Starship lunar lander sitting on the Moon's surface, as proposed to NASA under its Artemis program. Image: SpaceX
(Excerpt) Read more at theverge.com ...
SpaceX will continue to develop, and after the "final" decision is made by the Demagogic Party corrupted bureaucracy and judiciary, SpaceX and its private spacecraft will be returning from the Moon. Want some more rocks?
Blue Origin has yet to put a human aboard their hopper, has orbited nothing, and on its supposed lunar bid, has spent twice what NASA plans to pay SpaceX.
Yes B.O. only does one time a year suborbital flights and has not flown humans, yet bezos has to pitch a fit
After the contract was awarded, Musk said that Bezos needed to take a more active role in Blue Origin, and "frankly, I hope he does".
Runar Rander, Made in China?
Sure go with the rivals Landers that are still on the drawing board
I am glad they read my proposal.
Everyone knows why this is happening. SpaceX is being sabotaged. SpaceCCP is ultimately going to get the contract. You think I’m kidding?
This is pretty much S.O.P. In a government contract of this size, the losers are almost automatically going to contest the award and the gubmint is going to put everything on hold until a review is complete and the award is either affirmed or reversed.
On an aside, I have to say I’m generally pretty impressed with Musk. Yes, he’s played the government contract and subsidy game to the hilt, but I do think the government is at least getting good value for its dollar with him. Plus he has a big vision and is pushing to make it happen. I don’t know if he’ll ever land someone on Mars, but if anyone can do it, he probably can.
Musk is crowbarring his people onto the ISS while Bezos is bitching about “fairness” from the eyepiece end of an earthbound telescope. What is there even to argue about?
CCP doesn’t even have a reusable platform, they’re gonna waste so much money on space only to be eclipsed by a company that can reuse a 100t to orbit platform.
It's not a great idea to bet against him, that's for sure. :^) My guess is, SpaceX will put someTHING on the Martian surface by 2030, and I'd NOT be surprised if it happens in 2022. They'll want to test landing systems, and until they do, they'll never get man-rating on that Starship [sic] they've been systematically destroying with every test the past year or so. :^) In nine years? They'll have been going to the Moon for four or five years, and it also won't surprise me if they put the first humans on Mars in 2030. And no one else will be able to do that for a long time. In another tab, I'm streaming a vid of Jeremy Clarkson enjoying the Model X.
Musk doesnt always stay in lock step with the PTB.
This is them putting some leverage on him.
They dont know him that well.
“Everyone knows why this is happening. SpaceX is being sabotaged. SpaceCCP is ultimately going to get the contract. You think I’m kidding?”
****************************************
Hey! 10% for the Big Guy.
Contrast:
SpaceX just brought people back from the space station, and will shortly test-fly (successfully?) their lunar shuttle prototype.
NASA bureaucrats just halted the lunar project days after funding it.
Which values progress?
The Biden administration basically just guaranteed Musk will start a lunar colony independent of government - out of spite.
Apparently, Bezos whined and cried hard enough to attract some of his supports in the program.......
I dunno. That artist’s conception of the SpaceX lander... that’s a long climb down/up to the living quarters (which I assume is atop that stack).
Minority bidder?
Musk must pay a bribe to the biden corrupt administration or else.
Vice President Kamala Harris confirms role as new chair of National Space Council, saying she is ‘honored’ to take up the role
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3955693/posts
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.