NASA head urges new launcher for Blue Origin’s moon landers to meet Artemis mission deadlines
- After Blue Origin’s New Glenn static-fire explosion damaged LC-36, NASA is seeking an alternative launcher for Blue Origin’s Blue Moon landers. - Administrator Jared Isaacman said NASA is “de-coupling the lander from the launch vehicle and the pad” to keep lander development on schedule for Artemis 3 (2027) and a 2028 landing. - NASA reaffirmed support for investigating the anomaly but emphasized mission timelines. - Blue Moon was optimized for New Glenn’s 7 m fairing, leaving few compatible heavy‑lift options; Falcon Heavy’s smaller fairing and SpaceX pad infrastructure pose constraints.
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