The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has decided to suspend the contract with SpaceX for the development and creation of a lunar lander. The suspension followed protests from competitors.
Last Tuesday, April 27, it became known that Jeff Bezos' private aerospace corporation Blue Origin had filed a protest with the US Audit Office (GAO) over SpaceX's choice to send a man to the moon. NASA's choice was also protested by Dynetics.
On Friday, April 30, NASA spokesman Monica Witt announced that both companies have contacted GAO and the contract with SpaceX will be frozen pending verification.
“In response to protests filed with the GAO, NASA has informed SpaceX that the lander (development) contract has been suspended until the GAO resolves any remaining litigation related to this purchase,” a company spokesman said in a statement.
We will remind, earlier, Elon Musk's company won a NASA contract for the delivery of astronauts to the lunar surface. SpaceX has been selected to continue the development of the first commercial human lander that will safely transport the next two American astronauts to the surface of an Earth satellite. However, after the decision is made, the company will not be able to receive funds from the management for the development of the spacecraft until the end of the proceedings.
