NASA’s Management of Human Landing System Development for Artemis Raises Concerns
NASA’s Office of Inspector General recently released a report analyzing the management of the Human Landing System (HLS) program, which oversees the development of crewed lunar landers by Blue Origin and SpaceX. The report highlighted that while NASA has successfully controlled costs through fixed-price, milestone-based contracts, there are concerns about schedule delays in the development of these landers.
Both SpaceX and Blue Origin have experienced setbacks in their timelines for developing the crewed lunar landers. SpaceX’s Artemis III Starship has been delayed by at least 2 years, with additional delays expected, while Blue Origin’s lander is at least eight months behind schedule. One of the key challenges both companies are facing is the development of cryogenic fluid management technology, which is crucial for the propellants their landers will use.
In addition to schedule delays, the report also raised concerns about technical aspects of the landers. For example, SpaceX’s Starship design includes a crew compartment 35 meters above the surface, requiring astronauts to use an elevator to access the surface and return to the vehicle. There are also disagreements between NASA and SpaceX regarding whether SpaceX’s landing approach meets NASA’s requirements for manual control.
The report also provided insights into the current and future architectural plans for the landers. SpaceX’s approach involves using a Starship as a propellant depot in low Earth orbit, while Blue Origin plans to use a transporter depot for refueling in low Earth orbit. However, these plans may be subject to change as NASA has requested acceleration plans from both companies to speed up development.
NASA recently revised its plans for the Artemis missions, turning Artemis into a mission in low Earth orbit where Orion will dock with the Blue Moon and/or Starship landers. The first lunar landing attempt is planned for mid-2027, followed by two more attempts in early and late 2028. The report emphasized the importance of testing the landers in flight-like environments before crewed landings, but criticized NASA for falling short of this principle in uncrewed landing tests.
Overall, while NASA’s cost management of the HLS program has been effective, there are concerns about schedule delays and technical challenges that need to be addressed to ensure the success of the Artemis missions. NASA and its commercial partners will need to work together to overcome these obstacles and achieve the goal of landing astronauts on the moon.
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