The aerospace company Dynetics has just offered NASA a full-size model of its future lander. The project could be selected by the space agency to transport astronauts to the Moon in 2024.
Last May, NASA announced that it had awarded three contracts to begin the development of landers allowing the next man and the first woman to land on the Moon in 2024 in the framework of the Artemis 3 mission. The companies selected are:Blue Origin, Dynetics and SpaceX.
From then on, all of them started to develop prototypes to present to the officials of the American agency. Blue Origin was the fastest. Last August, a first full-size model was delivered to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. It will remain there until the beginning of the year, the time for the American agency to carry out several tests.
A few days ago, Dynetics also offered a first prototype. The same size as the Eagle module which allowed Armstrong and Aldrin to land on the Moon, it includes a module capable of supporting four astronauts, deployable solar panels and propellant tanks allowing the lunar descent and ascent. Again, NASA engineers are expected to study the prototype with the goal of refining its final design.
On paper, this lander is expected to be launched atop a Vulcan rocket, from United Launch Alliance. This Tuesday, Dynetics representatives announced that two more launches will also be scheduled to place the spacecraft's two external fuel tanks into orbit.
For its part, we know that SpaceX intends to rely on its "Starship" rocket, several prototypes of which are currently in the testing phase. On paper, this reusable ship would be able to go back and forth between Earth and the Moon.
In 2021, once all these projects have been studied, NASA should select one or more of these concepts. The idea would be that at least one of them is operational for 2024 .
In the meantime, NASA will have to take an important first step, namely the launch of Artemis 1, scheduled for next year . For this flight, the SLS heavy launcher will propel the Orion capsule for an unmanned mission around the Moon. The Artemis 2 mission, which this time plans to send a crew around the Moon, will normallylaunch in 2023 .
