In April 2021, NASA gave SpaceX a $2.89 billion contract under the Artemis program to create a lunar lander variant of its Starship spacecraft, called the Human Landing System (HLS). This was a big deal because it made SpaceX the first private company to be picked for sending astronauts to the Moon since the Apollo days. The goal is to land astronauts close to the Moon's south pole as part of the Artemis III mission, which is aimed for the mid-2020s.
The Starship lunar lander that SpaceX proposed is different from the regular Starship. It doesn’t have the fins or heat shields because it won’t be coming back to Earth. It’s built for working in space and on the Moon. The lander will launch separately and meet up with the astronauts flying in NASA’s Orion spacecraft. Once they dock in lunar orbit, the crew will move to the Starship HLS, land on the Moon, do their work, and then head back to lunar orbit.
NASA picked SpaceX for a few reasons: it was cost-effective, technically ready, had tight timelines, and a good history with launches and human spaceflight. This choice wasn’t without its share of drama, with competitors like Blue Origin raising challenges, but NASA stuck to its decision.
Since then, the contract has grown, adding more funding and missions for Artemis IV and beyond. This shows how NASA is changing its approach—teaming up with private companies to explore deeper into space more cheaply and with fresh ideas.
