Human Landing System
Commercial lunar landers for NASA's Artemis program.
The Artemis program relies on a set of spacecraft called the Human Landing System (HLS) to put astronauts on the Moon. These vehicles are meant to carry crews from lunar orbit down to the surface, keep them alive while they work there, and then bring them back up to orbit. Right now, two different landers are being built: Starship HLS from SpaceX and Blue Moon Mark 2 from Blue Origin.
As of March 2026, NASA plans to launch one or both of these landers into Earth orbit around mid-2027. There, they will practice rendezvous and docking maneuvers as part of the Artemis III mission. The choice of which lander will carry the first crewed lunar landing—set for the Artemis IV mission in early 2028—will depend on how those tests go and whether the equipment is ready.
NASA did not lead the design work itself. Instead, it gave companies a reference design and asked for commercial proposals to build systems that met the agency’s needs. The competition started in 2019, and in 2021 NASA picked Starship HLS. After that award, the selection was challenged in court, with claims that the proposals were evaluated unfairly. Then, in 2023, NASA brought in a second lander, Blue Moon, saying this would boost competition and create more chances for lunar landings.
The reference design came from a 2018 NASA concept called the Advanced Exploration Lander. It was a three-stage vehicle. After leaving the Lunar Gateway in its near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO), a transfer module would push the lander and crew into a low lunar orbit and then detach. A descent module would then land itself and the ascent module—carrying the crew—on the Moon. Up to four astronauts could stay on the surface for as long as two weeks, then use the ascent module to fly back to Gateway. Each of the three modules weighed about 12 to 15 metric tons and would be launched separately on commercial rockets, then assembled at Gateway. The transfer and ascent modules could be reused, but the descent module was meant to be left behind. The Lunar Gateway was canceled in 2026.
Before the competition, NASA issued a formal request for proposals in December 2018 under Appendix E of NextSTEP-2, asking American companies to design and build reusable lunar landing systems. An industry forum was held at NASA headquarters on February 14, 2019, to explain the HLS Broad Agency Announcement. In April 2019, another request for pr
- Program
- NASA Artemis program
- Purpose
- Land astronauts on the Moon
- Designs in development
- Starship HLS, Blue Moon Mark 2
- First selection
- 2021 (Starship HLS)
- Second selection
- 2023 (Blue Moon)
- Reference design
- Advanced Exploration Lander (2018)
Lore & Background
The HLS program began in 2019 when NASA solicited proposals from commercial vendors. In April 2020, NASA awarded design contracts to Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX. After evaluation, NASA selected only SpaceX's Starship HLS in April 2021 for a full development contract worth US$2.89 billion. The selection was challenged in court by Blue Origin, but the lawsuit was dismissed in November 2021.
In May 2023, NASA selected Blue Origin as a second provider, citing increased competition and additional lunar landing opportunities. The reference design for the HLS was the Advanced Exploration Lander, a 2018 NASA concept for a three-stage lander. The Lunar Gateway, originally part of the mission architecture, was cancelled in 2026.
As of March 2026, NASA intends to launch one or both HLS designs into Earth orbit in mid-2027 for rendezvous and docking tests as part of Artemis III. Selection of the lander for the first crewed lunar landing during Artemis IV in early 2028 will depend on test results and equipment readiness.
Reader's Guide
The Human Landing System represents a shift in NASA's approach to lunar exploration, relying on commercial vendors rather than internal development. The competition, beginning in 2019, led to a sole-source award to SpaceX in 2021, which sparked protests and litigation from Blue Origin and Dynetics. The GAO rejected the protests, and a federal lawsuit was dismissed. In 2023, NASA expanded the program by selecting Blue Origin as a second provider. The HLS designs are critical for returning humans to the Moon under Artemis, with the first crewed landing planned for early 2028. The program's reliance on commercial partnerships and fixed-price contracts marks a departure from traditional NASA-led development, aiming to reduce costs and increase innovation. The cancellation of the Lunar Gateway in 2026 altered the mission architecture, but HLS development continues.
Did You Know?
- The Advanced Exploration Lander, a 2018 NASA concept, served as the reference design for HLS proposals.
- Starship HLS lacks a heat shield and flight control surfaces, as it is optimized for lunar operations.
- The HLS contract award to SpaceX was challenged in court by Blue Origin, but the lawsuit was dismissed in November 2021.
- As of March 2026, NASA plans to launch one or both HLS designs into Earth orbit in mid-2027 for testing.
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