Boeing (BA) faces a reduced role in NASA's moon-landing mission as the agency considers giving SpaceX's Starship a larger part in sending astronauts toward lunar orbit, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing people with knowledge of the matter.
Under the original plan, Boeing's Space Launch System rocket would have launched a crew inside the Lockheed Martin-built (LMT) Orion capsule and pushed it close to the moon before Orion placed itself into lunar orbit, the report.
Under the proposed changes, the Boeing rocket would no longer perform that key boost, and instead, Starship and Orion would dock in Earth orbit, and Starship would propel the capsule to lunar orbit before taking astronauts to the surface, the report said.
Changes to the mission may face Congressional review, and the agency may reverse or alter its plans, the report said.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment from MT Newswires.
(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)
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