The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) decided to suspend the contract for the creation of a lunar module with the American company SpaceX for about $ 2.9 billion. The decision was made due to protests from the aerospace corporation Blue Origin and Dynetics, which had previously contacted United States General Administration (GAO).
“In connection with the protests filed with the GAO, NASA has informed SpaceX that the contract for the development of the lander is suspended until the GAO resolves any remaining litigation related to this purchase,” NASA reported (quoted from CNBC).
Now, until the dispute is settled, SpaceX will not receive funds from NASA for the development of the device, it must stop any work related to the contract. The dispute is expected to be settled no later than August 4.
Elon Musk's SpaceX won a NASA contract to deliver astronauts to the lunar surface earlier in April. NASA planned that four astronauts would be transported to the lunar station on the Orion spacecraft, from there, two of them would travel to the moon in SpaceX's Starship.
Read also:
