{"id":17463,"date":"2021-11-04T19:12:39","date_gmt":"2021-11-04T11:12:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/blue-origin-loses-lunar-lander-lawsuit-nasa-says-spacex-work-will-resume-asap\/"},"modified":"2021-11-04T19:12:39","modified_gmt":"2021-11-04T11:12:39","slug":"blue-origin-loses-lunar-lander-lawsuit-nasa-says-spacex-work-will-resume-asap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/blue-origin-loses-lunar-lander-lawsuit-nasa-says-spacex-work-will-resume-asap\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Origin loses lunar lander lawsuit; NASA says SpaceX work will resume ASAP"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_615276\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-615276\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full-width wp-image-615276\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/210416-starship-630x354.jpg\" alt=\"Starship on the moon\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/210416-starship-630x354.jpg 630w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/210416-starship-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/210416-starship.jpg 985w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"><figcaption data-nosnippet=\"\" id=\"caption-attachment-615276\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">An artist\u2019s conception shows SpaceX\u2019s Starship rocket ship on the moon. (SpaceX Illustration)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A federal judge today rejected Blue Origin\u2019s challenge to a $2.9 billion contract that NASA awarded to SpaceX for building the lunar lander destined to carry astronauts to the moon.<\/p>\n<p>Amazon founder Jeff Bezos\u2019 space venture had argued that NASA gave overly wide leeway to SpaceX in advance of the contract award in April \u2014 but Judge Richard Hertling of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims rejected Blue Origin\u2019s arguments. His opinion was sealed, pending a Nov. 18 conference to discuss which details needed to be redacted for competitive reasons. <strong>(Update: The redacted opinion was released on Nov. 18. Check the update at the end of this report for details.)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In a statement, NASA said that it would resume work with SpaceX under the terms of the contract \u201cas soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bezos tweeted that today\u2019s ruling was \u201cnot the decision we wanted, but we respect the court\u2019s judgment, and wish full success for NASA and SpaceX on the contract.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=b0yle&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1456311095761637384&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geekwire.com%2F2021%2Fblue-origin-loses-lunar-lander-lawsuit-nasa-says-spacexs-work-will-resume-asap%2F&amp;sessionId=2f6df97c7bb817a3e12831c458f153b6dfbfb846&amp;siteScreenName=geekwire&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1456311095761637384\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782800057581646697=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Not the decision we wanted, but we respect the court\u2019s judgment, and wish full success for NASA and SpaceX on the contract. pic.twitter.com\/BeXc4A8YaW<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) November 4, 2021<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In a separate statement, Blue Origin said its lawsuit raised \u201cimportant safety issues with the Human Landing System procurement process that must still be addressed.\u201d That appeared to be a reference to the company\u2019s allegations that NASA waived some of SpaceX\u2019s requirements for flight readiness reviews.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cReturning astronauts safely to the moon through NASA\u2019s public-private partnership model requires an unprejudiced procurement process alongside sound policy that incorporates redundant systems and promotes competition,\u201d Blue Origin said.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve reached out to SpaceX as well, and wlll update this story with anything we hear back. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responded to news of the ruling on Twitter with a Judge Dredd meme reading \u201cYou have been judged!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=b0yle&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1456275627221393409&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geekwire.com%2F2021%2Fblue-origin-loses-lunar-lander-lawsuit-nasa-says-spacexs-work-will-resume-asap%2F&amp;sessionId=2f6df97c7bb817a3e12831c458f153b6dfbfb846&amp;siteScreenName=geekwire&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1456275627221393409\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782800057581646697=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"qme\" dir=\"ltr\"> pic.twitter.com\/deqktTvS3U<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 4, 2021<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The ruling means SpaceX can resume its work to adapt its massive Starship spacecraft for use as a landing system for sending astronauts to the lunar surface by as early as 2024 \u2014 although that date is almost certain to slip.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the legal challenge, SpaceX has been building Starship prototypes and testing the craft\u2019s methane-fueled Raptor engines at its Boca Chica Starbase facility in South Texas. The company envisions using Starship not only for moon missions, but for trips to and from Earth orbit, and eventually Mars.<\/p>\n<p>Today NASA noted that it will support multiple commercial efforts to develop lunar landing systems as a follow-up on Starship\u2019s moon landing. Blue Origin and two of its industry partners \u2014 Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman \u2014 are already in on those efforts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere will be forthcoming opportunities for companies to partner with NASA in establishing a long-term human presence at the moon under the agency\u2019s Artemis program, including a call in 2022 to U.S. industry for recurring crewed lunar landing services,\u201d NASA promised.<\/p>\n<p>Blue Origin said it remained \u201cdeeply committed to the success of the Artemis program\u201d and noted that it has a \u201cbroad base of activity on multiple contracts with NASA to achieve the United States\u2019 goal to return to the moon to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are fully engaged with NASA to mature sustainable lander designs, conduct a wide variety of technology risk reductions, and provide Commercial Lunar Payload Services,\u201d Blue Origin said. \u201cWe are also under contract with NASA to develop in-situ resource utilization technology, lunar space robotics, and lunar landing sensor collaboration including testing on New Shepard.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The company said it would \u201clook forward to hearing from NASA on next steps\u201d in the process to procure human landing systems.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Update for 11:30 a.m. PT Nov. 18:<\/strong> The redacted version of Judge Hertling\u2019s opinion doesn\u2019t contain any surprises. Hertling noted that the Blue Origin team\u2019s bid was substantially higher than SpaceX\u2019s (nearly $6 billion vs. $2.9 billion) and that the bid didn\u2019t comply with NASA\u2019s requirements.<\/p>\n<p>Blue Origin claimed that it would have worked with NASA to submit an alternative proposal, \u201cbut the court finds its hypothetical proposal to be speculative and unsupported by the record,\u201d Hertling wrote.<\/p>\n<p>In any case, \u201cBlue Origin has not shown that NASA\u2019s evaluation or its conduct during the procurement was arbitrary and capricious or otherwise contrary to law,\u201d the judge said. \u201cNASA provided a thorough, reasoned evaluation of the proposals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Check out the 47-page opinion for the details:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/blue-origin-opinion.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of Embed of blue-origin-opinion..\"><\/object>blue-origin-opinionDownload<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An artist\u2019s conception shows SpaceX\u2019s Starship rocket ship on the moon. (SpaceX Illustration) A federal judge today rejected Blue Origin\u2019s challenge to a $2.9 billion contract that NASA awarded to SpaceX for building the lunar lander destined to carry astronauts to the moon. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos\u2019 space venture had argued that NASA gave overly [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[304,1508,509,2043,4648,625,190,316,4328],"class_list":["post-17463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-artemis","tag-blue-moon","tag-blue-origin","tag-lunar-lander","tag-lunar-landing","tag-moon","tag-nasa","tag-spacex","tag-spacex-starship"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17463"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17463"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17463\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}