Bang, zoom to the Moon

 

NASA reports:

NASA has selected 14 American companies as partners to develop a range of technologies that will help forge a path to sustainable Artemis operations on the Moon by the end of the decade.

U.S. industry submitted the proposals to NASA’s fifth competitive Tipping Point solicitation, and the selections have an expected combined award value of more than $370 million. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate will negotiate with the companies to issue milestone-based firm fixed-price contracts lasting for up to five years.

“NASA's significant investment in innovative technology demonstrations, led by small and large U.S. businesses across nine states, will expand what is possible in space and on the lunar surface,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “Together, NASA and industry are building up an array of mission-ready capabilities to support a sustainable presence on the Moon and future human missions to Mars.”

The selections and approximate award values across the three solicitation topic areas of cryogenic fluid management, lunar surface, and closed-loop descent and landing capability demonstrations, are:

·      Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance of Houston, $22.1 million

·      Astrobotic Technology of Pittsburgh, $5.8 million

·      Eta Space of Merritt Island, Florida, $27 million

·      Intuitive Machines of Houston, $41.6 million

·      Lockheed Martin of Littleton, Colorado, $89.7 million

·      Masten Space System of Mojave, California, $10 million, $2.8 million

·      Nokia of America Corporation of Sunnyvale, California, $14.1 million

·      pH Matter of Columbus, Ohio, $3.4 million

·      Precision Combustion Inc. of North Haven, Connecticut, $2.4 million

·      Sierra Nevada Corporation of Madison, Wisconsin, $2.4 million

·      SpaceX of Hawthorne, California, $53.2 million

·      SSL Robotics (Maxar Technologies) of Pasadena, California, $8.7 million

·      Teledyne Energy Systems of Hunt Valley, Maryland, $2.8 million

·      United Launch Alliance (ULA) of Centennial, Colorado, $86.2 million

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This all comes at a time when homelessness in the US is growing by leaps and bounds. More people are out of work than during the time on the Great Depression. How can the US (with its massive national debt - currently at $28 trillion) afford missions to the Moon and Mars as well as seven wars here on Earth?  The numbers just don't add up.

Notice above how they are shoveling money into various states in order to 'build a constituency' that will apply pressure to keep the gravy train flowing for the budding aerospace industry,

I'd venture to guess that most American citizens would prefer we spend our limited national resources first on taking care of the people, dealing with climate crisis, and of course ending all of the war$.

How about you?

Bruce