T+252: NASA Selects Blue Moon for a Second Lunar Lander, But is Facing a Grim Budget Reality

NASA selected Blue Moon as the second human lunar lander for Artemis—which is awesome!—yet the budget outlook for the next few years is…not good. I think through what NASA can, should, and might do in the face of a grim budget reality.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 36 executive producers—Tyler, Pat from KC, Brad, Theo and Violet, Matt, Fred, Robb, Simon, Dawn Aerospace, SmallSpark Space Systems, Moritz, Donald, Frank, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut), Kris, Harrison, Chris, Joel, Jan, Russell, Pat, Benjamin, David, Lee, Bob, Joonas, Lars from Agile Space, Stealth Julian, Steve, The Astrogators at SEE, Warren, Ryan—and 842 other supporters.

Topics

• NASA Selects Blue Origin as Second Artemis Lunar Lander Provider | NASA
• NASA awards Blue Origin $3.4 billion Artemis moon lander contract – Spaceflight Now
• NASA selects Blue Origin to develop second Artemis lunar lander - SpaceNews
• NASA’s Artemis program may face a budget crunch as costs continue to rise | Ars Technica
• A new report finds NASA has spent an obscene amount of money on SLS propulsion | Ars Technica
• At long last, the glorious future we were promised in space is on the way | Ars Technica
• NASA’s Selection of the Blue Moon Lander for Artemis V | Selenian Boondocks

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