Seattle:
U.S. space agency NASA has told Elon Musk’s SpaceX to halt work beneath a contract it won to create a lunar spacecraft, pending the outcome of challenges by rival bidders at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the agency stated on Friday.
NASA’s selection signifies SpaceX has to quit any work especially connected to the moon plan contract till the GAO tends to make a ruling, anticipated Aug. 4 at the most current.
A SpaceX spokesman did not promptly respond to a request for comment.
Earlier this month, NASA awarded SpaceX the lunar contract more than billionaire Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and defense contractor Dynetics.
The higher-profile project aims to place humans back on the moon for the 1st time considering that 1972.
Blue Origin on Monday filed a protest with the GAO, arguing amongst other issues that NASA gave SpaceX the possibility to revise its bid but did not give that possibility to Blue Origin.
Blue Origin also argues the selection extends SpaceX’s “monopolistic” manage in space exploration.
The GAO confirmed that Dynetics has also challenged the NASA contract award to SpaceX.
“Pursuant to the GAO protests, NASA instructed SpaceX that progress on the HLS (human landing system) contract has been suspended until GAO resolves all outstanding litigation related to this procurement,” the agency stated on Friday.
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