In Stunning Reversal, NASA Halts $2.9 Billion Contract with SpaceX The move comes after protests from Blue Origin and Dynetics. https://futurism.com/the-byte/in-stunning-reversal-nasa-halts-2-9-billion-contract-with-spacex NASA has told SpaceX to cease all work on their multi-billion dollar lunar lander contract after two other private aerospace companies protested the deal. Blue Origin and Dynetics both protested the agency’s decision to award a $2.9 billion contract to build the Artemis program’s lunar landing system solely to SpaceX, according to The Verge. The Government Accountability Office (GAO), which manages federal contract disputes, is now tasked with deciding whether or not their protests warrant a reversal of the contract. “Pursuant to the GAO protests, NASA instructed SpaceX that progress on the HLS contract has been suspended until GAO resolves all outstanding litigation related to this procurement,” said NASA in a statement obtained by The Verge. Flawed Acquisition Both Blue Origin and Dynetics filed their protests with the GAO on Monday to challenge the contract. In their filing, Blue Origin warned that awarding the contract to just SpaceX jeopardizes the Artemis program’s 2024 goal of returning to the moon. “NASA has executed a flawed acquisition for the Human Landing System (HLS) program and moved the goalposts at the last minute,” Blue Origin said in a statement obtained by The Verge. The agency initially chose SpaceX due to its reusable rocket system Starship, which boasts a large payload capacity as well as a relatively lower bid. Billionaire Smack Talk This all comes at the heels of a billionaire mud-slinging contest between SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos. In fact, Musk took to Twitter to dunk on the Amazon founder after The New York Times reported Blue Origin would be protesting the contract. Well, Elon. Life comes at you fast. Musk is the one with egg on his face now that his multi-billion dollar NASA contract is in jeopardy. Regardless of the outcome, competition in the burgeoning 21st century space race is an awesome thing. For that to happen, though, we need it to be an actual competition — and not just have a single company run by a living meme calling all the shots. READ MORE: NASA suspends SpaceX’s $2.9 billion moon lander contract after rivals protest [The Verge]
,, Blue origin protested... ...NASA has executed a flawed acquisition for the Human Landing System (HLS) program and moved the goalposts at the last minute,” Blue Origin said in a statement obtained by The Verge.
Why the heck waste our taxpayer money on rocketships to outer space?? I'd rather see money spent on useful things like infrastructure, healthcare, manufacturing, education and more practical uses of our money.
Don't be daft!!! Spending on the homeless is a waste of space, excuse the pun. You can't fire missiles back to earth from someone's basement.
live by the sword... https://www.nbcnews.com/science/spa...nment-protest-military-launch-monopoly-n89926 Elon Musk's SpaceX Sues Government to Protest Military Launch Monopoly SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is protesting the federal government's purchase of rocket components from its main competitor. WASHINGTON – The commercial SpaceX rocket venture is filing a lawsuit against the federal government to protest the purchase of rocket components from its main competitor, billionaire founder Elon Musk said Friday. “This is not right,” Musk told reporters during a news conference at the National Press Club. United Launch Alliance — a joint venture involving Lockheed Martin and the Boeing Co. — is currently the only company certified to launch military payloads for the federal government. SpaceX is trying to get certified to do those launches as well. https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-new-legal-battle-against-u-s-air-force/ SpaceX launches new legal battle against U.S. Air Force Launch Service Agreement contract winners Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman and United Launch Alliance have filed 'motions to intervene' in the lawsuit filed by SpaceX WASHINGTON — A lawsuit filed May 17 by SpaceX against the U.S. government was made public on Wednesday. In the 79-page redacted bid protest, SpaceX challenges the U.S. Air Force’s Oct. 10 decision to award development contracts to its competitors and exclude SpaceX. SpaceX’s bid protest with the Court of Federal Claims challenges the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center’s decision to deny SpaceX a Launch Service Agreement contract as “arbitrary and capricious and contrary to law.” The Air Force awarded LSA cost-sharing contracts to Blue Origin ($500 million), United Launch Alliance ($967 million) and Northrop Grumman ($762 million) to help the companies defray the costs of meeting the government’s unique launch requirements for the upcoming launch procurement competition known as National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement. Without LSA funds, SpaceX is required to bear the brunt of those costs on its own. In the redacted portions of the complaint, SpaceX includes what it estimates those cost would be, such as the construction of a payload integration facility at the Eastern Range launch complex. The figures were redacted.
Musk has gone from leader of ESG to villain of the left.. “Saturday Night Live” cast members won’t be forced to appear alongside controversial billionaire Elon Musk when he hosts the show Cast member Aidy Bryant shared a message.The star, reposted a tweet by Sen. Bernie Sanders that called it a “moral obscenity” that “the 50 wealthiest people in America today own more wealth than the bottom half of our people.” its unbelievable...Does the left have a consistent overriding philosophy