Nasa has confirmed that Blue Origin, the space company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, remains part of the primary plan to return humans to the Moon, despite a recent explosion during an engine-firing test. Space agency chief Jared Isaacman stated that the company has made 'great progress' since the May setback and indicated that he would not begin to worry until mid-2027, though alternatives are being evaluated.
Blue Origin's Response and New Launch Setup
Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp announced that the company will not rebuild the damaged launchpad but will instead adopt a different launch setup aimed at getting the New Glenn rocket flying again within the year. This decision follows the rocket's detonation during a test at the end of May.
Role in Artemis III and Moon Base Plans
Blue Origin is a key player in Nasa's ambitious plans to establish a permanent base on the Moon. The Artemis III mission, scheduled for 2025, will see four astronauts test low Earth orbit docking procedures between the Orion spacecraft and commercial lunar landers developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX. These landers are expected to take humans to the lunar surface in 2028. The heavy-lift New Glenn rocket is crucial for these missions and the future moon base development.
Progress and Timelines
Jared Isaacman provided an update on the lunar project, saying: 'Some time has gone by since the anomaly and Blue Origin's response to the situation is almost beyond impressive.' He added: 'They're making great progress. They are very committed to getting back in the business of launching New Glenn before the end of the year. We've got time beyond that point into 2027 before we're getting nervous.'
Isaacman also noted that Nasa is not idle: 'Nasa does not sit on our hands and wait for hardware to show up. It would be almost irresponsible with the importance of the moon base… not to have plan Bs. But plan A was always New Glenn, and plan A is looking a lot better today than it was weeks ago, just based on the progress that the Blue Origin team is making.'
Contingency Plans and Nasa's Support
Nasa's moon base programme manager, Carlos Garcia-Galan, stated: 'We're working with Blue Origin very closely to understand their timelines to recovery, and also looking at other options in case it doesn't meet our timeline, so we're paying a lot of attention again, putting the entire Nasa capability at the service of making this vendor successful.'
Timeline for Lunar Living
The moon base mission could see people living and working on the lunar surface within six years. The pioneering project aims to develop technologies for future deep space voyages, including missions to Mars, and will be rolled out in three stages.
World Cup Incentive
In a lighter note, Nasa bosses promised that if the USA men's team wins the World Cup, a competition football would be taken to the Moon. Isaacman joked: 'Speaking of payload capacity, what do you think the chances are here if America wins at all, that we can find some volume here on one of these landers to put one of the soccer balls in?' Garcia-Galan responded: 'If the United States wins the World Cup, we will absolutely find space.'
