From: snidely.too@gmail.com   
      
   Lo, on the 4/21/2021, Niklas Holsti did proclaim ...   
   > On 2021-04-21 18:29, Jeff Findley wrote:   
   >> In article , jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca   
   >> says...   
   >>   
   >>> ...   
   >>> The possibility of being able to replace SLS for Earth-Moon transit   
   >>> is likely why SpaceX won over the other more specialized solutions.   
   >>   
   >> That's not correct.  There have been articles published talking about   
   >> the selection.   
   >>   
   >> The other two had serious problems with their proposals.   
   >   
   > Yes.   
   >   
   >   
   >> Blue Origin's proposal was disqualified because they essentially   
   >> asked for payments before reaching milestones (not allowed).   
   >   
   > Not really. That problem with the National Team proposal was noted, but there   
   > is a foot-note in the source-selection statement that says that it was not a   
   > fatal flaw, because it could have been negotiated away. There were some   
   > technical problems and low TRLs for some of the propulsion parts, IIRC. And   
   > no clear path to sustainable or commercial operation (a major redesign was   
   > proposed for that).   
   >   
   >   
   >> Also, the SpaceX proposal was the only one that fit the paltry HLS   
   >> funding that NASA is currently getting from Congress.   
   >   
   >   
   > That was the major reason. That, and the (surprising?) fact that the Lunar   
   > Starship risks turned out not to be higher than the risks of the others.   
   >   
   > Even the SpaceX proposal exceeded the money available for the first year(s),   
   > so NASA had to negotiate a delayed payment plan with SpaceX.   
      
   Also, this is not the whole enchilada of lunar landings, and may only   
   cover the first /unmanned/ lunar landing.  The other two have been   
   invited to compete in a second contract bid, and I think Eric Bergen   
   covered this (briefly).   
      
   Also, the VIPER landing is a separate contract won by a startup that we   
   don't know much about yet, but I think they building something bigger   
   than an Electron but smaller than a Falcon Heavy.  I need to go back to   
   coverage of that announcement to be more precise.   
      
      
   /dps   
      
   --   
   "I'm glad unicorns don't ever need upgrades."   
   "We are as up as it is possible to get graded!"   
   _Phoebe and Her Unicorn_, 2016.05.15   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)