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| Attribute | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | SpaceX | Astrobotic | Firefly Aerospace |
| Prime contractor | SpaceX | Astrobotic | Firefly Aerospace |
| Status | In development | Lost | In development |
| Customer | NASA-HLS | NASA-CLPS | NASA-CLPSESA |
| Launch date | 2027 (NET — Artemis III) | 2024-01-08 | 2026-Q4 (NET) |
| Landing date | — | — | — |
| Landing site | Lunar south pole (NASA-curated candidate region near 84-90°S) | Sinus Viscositatis (planned; never reached) | Lunar far side (specific site TBD; supports LuSEE-Night) |
| Payload | ~100 tonnes to lunar surface (sustained variant target) (2024-04-16) | 20 payloads from 7 nations (2024-01-08) | Dual-spacecraft: Blue Ghost lander + Elytra orbital relay (2026-05-28) |
| Contract value | $2.89B + $1.15B Option B = $4.04B total (2022-11-15) | $108M (2024-01-08) | — |
| Outcome | Selected April 2021 as sole HLS provider for Artemis III. Architecture requires Super Heavy launch + multiple Starship tanker refueling flights in LEO + transit to NRHO + rendezvous with Orion (SLS). NASA OIG IG-26-004 (March 2026) flagged crew-rescue capability as open risk. October 2025: NASA acting administrator Sean Duffy reopened Artemis III lander contract to competition due to Starship development pace. | Maiden flight of ULA's Vulcan Centaur. Helium pressurant valve failed to reseal post-actuation, over-pressurizing the oxidizer tank and rupturing it. Lander commanded into controlled re-entry; burned up over South Pacific 2024-01-18. | First commercial far-side landing attempt. Elytra deploys ESA's Lunar Pathfinder relay before Blue Ghost descends, providing dual-S/X-band relay for surface and orbital users. JPL's User Terminal Payload delivered for integration April 2026. |
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Underlying dataset: GET /api/moon/landers. Methodology: /moon/methodology.