Blue Origin sues NASA

Blue Origin sues NASA

New York, Aug. 19, 2021

Blue Origin has sued NASA seeking to overturn a $2.9 billion contract with SpaceX.

The company had complained that the contract to build a lunar lander was awarded to a single company instead of being divided among competitors.

The lunar module contract will help send the first U.S. crew to the moon since 1974. The contract is part of NASA’s Artemis program, which calls for a long-term presence on the lunar surface.

NASA was expected to offer two contracts, but a lower-than-expected budget allocation from Congress resulted in only one $2.9 billion contract being awarded to SpaceX.

Last month, a NASA spokesman said the agency was unlikely to change its decision but that it was „good to know“ there was strong competition in the space industry.