---
title: "SpaceX Wins Large NASA Contract for Starship Moon Missions"
description: "NASA announced today that it has awarded three contracts to develop lunar landing systems in an effort to return astronauts to the Moon as soon as 2024."
date: "2020-04-30"
modified: "2020-04-30"
authors:
  - name: "Victor Tangermann"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor"
url: "https://futurism.com/spacex-nasa-contract-starship-moon-missions"
categories:
  - "Astronomy"
  - "Moon"
  - "Space"
  - "SpaceX"
  - "Starship"
tags:
  - "blue origin"
  - "elon musk"
  - "moon"
  - "NASA"
  - "SpaceX"
  - "Starship"
---

# SpaceX Wins Large NASA Contract for Starship Moon Missions

![NASA announced today that it has awarded three contracts to develop lunar landing systems in an effort to return astronauts to the Moon as soon as 2024.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/spacex-nasa-contract-starship-moon-missions.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: SpaceX\</em\>*

NASA [announced](<https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-names-companies-to-develop-human-landers-for-artemis-moon-missions>) today that it has awarded three massive contracts to develop lunar landing systems in an effort to return American astronauts to the Moon's surface as soon as 2024, as [*Ars Technica* reports](<https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/04/nasa-awards-lunar-lander-contracts-to-blue-origin-dynetics-and-starship/>).

"With these contract awards, America is moving forward with the final step needed to land astronauts on the Moon by 2024, including the incredible moment when we will see the first woman set foot on the lunar surface," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in [a statement](<https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-names-companies-to-develop-human-landers-for-artemis-moon-missions>).

SpaceX received a $135 million contract to further develop the Super Heavy rocket-powered Starship. The massive spacecraft, [currently in development](<https://futurism.com/category/starship>), could one day carry up to 100 passengers to the Moon and beyond.

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1255907213568208896

SpaceX's "proposal included an in-space propellent transfer demonstration and uncrewed test landing," wrote Bridenstine in a follow-up [tweet](<https://twitter.com/JimBridenstine/status/1255902522792988672>).

"SpaceX is really good at flying and testing — and failing and fixing," Bridenstine told *Ars Technica*'s Eric Berger. "People are going to look at this and say, 'My goodness, we just saw Starship blow up again. Why are you giving them a contract?' The answer is because SpaceX is really good at iteratively testing and fixing."

As for SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's qualities as a leader, Bridenstine sounded supportive.

"I fully believe that Elon Musk is going to be successful," he told Berger. "He is focused like a laser on these activities."

A $579 million contract was also awarded to Blue Origin. The Jeff Bezos-led space company [announced](<https://futurism.com/blue-origin-moon-lander>) its Blue Moon lunar lander in May of last year, which NASA is planning to use as a way to descend down to the Moon's surface.

NASA also awarded $253 million contract to space company Dynetics, a partnership with Sierra Nevada Corporation, to build a reusable lander that could be launched atop a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket.

Dynetics' "two-stage lander concept includes a single element with ascent" and "descent capabilities and a unique crew cabin that sits low to the Moon’s surface," according to a [tweet](<https://twitter.com/JimBridenstine/status/1255902520251121664>) by Bridenstine.

NASA is giving itself ten months to assess which contracts to go ahead with to finalize the development of a future lunar lander.

**READ MORE:** [NASA awards lunar lander contracts to Blue Origin, Dynetics—and Starship](<https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/04/nasa-awards-lunar-lander-contracts-to-blue-origin-dynetics-and-starship/>) \[*Ars Technica*\]

**More on Starship:** *[SPACEX MANAGES TO TEST STARSHIP WITHOUT FAILING CATASTROPHICALLY](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-test-starship-without-failing-catastrophically>)*

## Author
I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/vtanger.bsky.social>)