Dispute continues between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk over NASA contracts

newly He finished his journey into spaceAnd Billionaire Jeff Bezos on Monday offered to cover up to $2 billion in NASA costs if the US space agency awarded his company Blue Origin a contract to build a spacecraft designed to return astronauts to the moon..

In April, NASA awarded rival entrepreneur Elon Musk a $2.9 billion contract to SpaceX. To build a spacecraft that will carry astronauts to the lunar surface from 2024Offers rejected blue origin and defense contractor dynamics.

Blue Origin teamed up with Lockheed Martin Corp And Northrop Grumman Corporation NS draper in the show.

The space agency cited its own lack of funding, SpaceX’s track record of orbiting missions, and other factors in making a contractual decision. That Cathy Luders, a senior NASA official, said that’s very important to the government.

In a letter to the NASA administrator, Bill NelsonBezos said Blue Origin will forgo payments in current and current fiscal years to the government of up to $2 billion, and pay for an orbital mission to examine its technology.

On the other hand, Blue Origin accepts a flat rate contract and covers any system development overheads.Bezos said.

“I think this task is important. It is my honor to make these contributions and I am grateful to be in a financial position to do so.The billionaire, who insisted that NASA veered from its initial plan with two companies competing for the project for budgetary reasons, said this proposal solves that problem.

“NASA has deviated from its original dual-source procurement strategy due to short-term issues, and this offering removes that hurdle,” Bezos wrote. “Without competition, NASA’s short- and long-term lunar ambition will be delayed, ultimately cost more, and not serve the national interest.Bezos added.

Before choosing SpaceX, NASA has asked for proposals for a spacecraft to bring astronauts to the lunar surface as part of the Artemis program to return humans to the moon for the first time since 1972.. The Blue Origin lunar lander is called the Blue Moon. Bezos and Musk are the first and third richest people in the world, respectively, according to Forbes.

Last week, Bezos fulfilled his dream of reaching space after taking off from a base in West Texas (USA) aboard a rocket. New Shepardwho crossed it It is 106 kilometers (65 miles) high and then back to Earth, a flight of about eleven minutes.

(With information from Reuters and EFE)

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