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Human Landing System

A National Team for a National Priority

NASA’s Artemis Program has a bold challenge to land the first woman and the next man on the Moon– returning Americans to the lunar surface, opening the Moon for business, and building a path to Mars. To achieve these ambitious objectives, NASA released a solicitation for industry to develop the final piece of its Artemis lunar architecture, the Human Landing System (HLS). The National Team integrates four companies, each having a head start for this fast-paced program.

National Team - Nationwide Impact

Our Supply Chain

The National Team comprises Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Draper. Together we are developing a Human Landing System for NASA’s Artemis program to return Americans to the lunar surface. Our team brings decades of experience with human space flight systems, launch vehicles, propulsion, orbital logistics, deep-space missions, interplanetary navigation, and planetary landings. Our combined experience uniquely positions NASA to execute the Artemis program.

Blue Origin, as prime contractor, leads the program management, systems engineering, safety and mission assurance, and mission engineering while providing the Descent Element (DE) that is based on the multi-year development of the Blue Moon lunar lander and its BE-7 engine.

Lockheed Martin develops the reusable Ascent Element (AE) and leads crewed flight operations and training, leveraging Orion spacecraft flight heritage.

Northrop Grumman provides the Transfer Element (TE) that brings the landing system down toward the Moon based on their Cygnus system, which has flown 13 resupply missions to the ISS.

Draper leads descent guidance and flight avionics, leveraging their crew-rated algorithms demonstrated on previous NASA exploration missions.


3,000+
National Team Jobs Across the USA
$618
Million with Small businesses
$273
Million with Nasa Centers

National Team Footprint

The National Team works with more than 200 companies across 47 states. Click on a state to view the National Team suppliers in that state.

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HLS National Team Suppliers In Washington

  • Accenture Seattle, WA
  • Blue Origin Kent, WA
  • Breedt Production Tooling & Design Kent, WA
  • Crane Electronics Lynnwood, WA
  • Eriks West Renton, WA
  • Exact Aerospace Auburn, WA
  • Fiberlay Kent, WA
  • Flow International Kent, WA
  • Fluke Electronics Everett, WA
  • Honeywell Redmond, WA
  • IDL Precision Machining Mukilteo, WA
  • Janicki Industries Sedro Woolley, WA
  • LMI Aerospace Everett, WA
  • McNeeley Mfg Auburn, WA
  • Mechatronics Preston, WA
  • Mistras Group Kent, WA
  • Northwest Carbide Tool & Service Kent, WA
  • Northwest Fluid Solutions Redmond, WA
  • OMAX Corporation Kent, WA
  • PAC Stainless Seattle, WA
  • Pacific Coast Composites Puyallup, WA
  • Professional Plastics Tukwila, WA
  • PSI Solutions Tacoma, WA
  • Renton Coil Spring Renton, WA
  • SeaCast Marysville, WA
  • Space Exploration Engineering Friday Harbor, WA
  • Specialty Metals Kent, WA
  • Steel Fab Arlington, WA
  • Swift Tool Kent, WA
  • Systima Technologies Kirkland, WA
  • The Stageplan Enumclaw, WA
  • ThyssenKrupp Online Metals Seattle, WA
  • Walter Dorwin Teague Associates Seattle, WA
  • Wesco Distribution Renton, WA
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HLS National Team Suppliers In California

  • 3D Plus USA San Leandro, CA
  • Adept Fasteners Valencia, CA
  • Aitech Defense Systems Chatsworth, CA
  • Allan Aircraft Supply Hollywood, CA
  • ATA Engineering San Diego, CA
  • Blue Sky Industries Monterey Park, CA
  • Clean Energy Systems Rancho Cordova, CA
  • Corland Inglewood, CA
  • Element Materials Technology Los Angeles, CA
  • Flotron Vista, CA
  • Innovative Engineering Solutions Murrieta, CA
  • Lockheed Martin Sunnyvale, CA
  • Malin Space Science Systems San Diego, CA
  • Microsemi Aliso Viejo, CA
  • Mission Critical Composites Huntington Beach, CA
  • Motiv Space Systems Pasadena, CA
  • Nabla Zero Labs San Marino, CA
  • Northrop Grumman Goletta, Space Park, CA
  • NuSpace Long Beach, CA
  • Quality Material Inspection Huntington Beach, CA
  • Quest Components Industry, CA
  • Saint-Gobain Garden Grove, CA
  • Space Micro San Diego, CA
  • Tavis Mariposa, CA
  • Toray Advanced Composites Morgan Hill, CA
  • VACCO Industries El Monte, CA
  • Wind River Alameda, CA
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Texas

  • Aerospace Fasteners Palestine, TX
  • Astrotech Austin, TX
  • Blue Origin Van Horn, TX
  • CesiumAstro Austin, TX
  • Cimarron Software Service Houston, TX
  • Draper Houston, TX
  • Fluid Mechanics Valve Company Houston, TX
  • Lockheed Martin Houston, TX
  • Micropac Industries Garland, TX
  • Mouser Electronics Inc. Mansfield, TX
  • Odyssey Space Research Houston, TX
  • Precision Aerial Compliance Solutions Conroe, TX
  • Southwest Research Institute San Antonio, TX
  • TTI Forth Worth, TX
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HLS National Team Suppliers In New York

  • Cobham Mission Systems Orchard Park, NY
  • Global Industrial Port Washington, NY
  • Graphite Metallizing Corporation Yonkers, NY
  • Hardware Specialty Co Long Island City, NY
  • Honeybee Robotics Brooklyn, NY
  • Lansing Instrument Corporation Ithaca, NY
  • Lockheed Martin Owega, NY
  • Moog East Aurora, NY
  • Peerless Aerospace Fastener Corporation Farmingdale, NY
  • Precision Filters Ithaca, NY
  • Sensitron Semiconductor Hauppauge, NY
  • Stellar Technology Buffalo, NY
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Colorado

  • Air Squared Manufacturing Broomfield, CO
  • Arrow Electronics Centennial, CO
  • Ball Aerospace Westminster, CO
  • Deep Space Systems Littleton, CO
  • ISYS Technologies Littleton, CO
  • Lockheed Martin Denver, CO
  • Odyssey Space Research Boulder, CO
  • Quest Thermal Group Arvada, CO
  • Red Canyon Software Denver, CO
  • SEAKR Engineering Centennial, CO
  • Special Aerospace Services Arvada, Boulder, CO
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Florida

  • Blue Origin Merrit Island, FL
  • General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems St. Petersburg, FL
  • Harris Melbourne, FL
  • Honeywell Aerospace Clearwater, FL
  • Inceptra Weston, FL
  • Jet-Tek St. Petersburg, FL
  • Lockheed Martin KENNEDY, FL
  • Made In Space Jacksonville, FL
  • P3 Technologies Jupiter, FL
  • Pitch Technologies US Orlando, FL
  • Scientific Instruments West Palm Beach, FL
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Virginia

  • Blue Origin Arlington, VA
  • General Dynamics Mission Systems Fairfax, VA
  • Lockheed Martin Arlington, VA
  • Northrop Grumman Dulles, Falls Church, VA
  • Optical Air Data Systems Manassas, VA
  • Precision Flight Technologies Manassas, VA
  • Pro-type Industries Sterling, VA
  • Qinetiq Lorton, VA
  • The Bionetics Corporation Yorktown, VA
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Arizona

  • Alicat Scientific Tucson, AZ
  • Avnet Chandler, AZ
  • Battel Engineering Paradise Valley, AZ
  • Honeywell Aerospace Pheonix, AZ
  • Insight Direct USA Tempe, AZ
  • Microchip Technology Chandler, AZ
  • Northrop Grumman Gilbert, AZ
  • Performance Software Phoenix, AZ
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Ohio

  • Belcan Cincinnati, OH
  • L-3 Cincinnati Electronic Corporation Mason, OH
  • Lake Shore Cryotronics Westerville, OH
  • Propulsion Acquisition Cincinnati, OH
  • RDI Corporation Cincinnati, OH
  • Toledo Metal Spinning Company Toledo, OH
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Massachusetts

  • Analog Devices Wilmington, MA
  • Draper Cambridge, MA
  • Mercury Systems Andover, MA
  • Mini-Systems North Attleboro, MA
  • TTTech North America Andover, MA
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Minnesota

  • Digi-Key Thief River Falls, MN
  • Fastenal Winona, MN
  • Micro Motion Chanhassen, MN
  • Minco Products Minneapolis, MN
  • Proto Labs Maple Plain, MN
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Pennsylvania

  • Advanced Cooling Technologies Lancaster, PA
  • Airgas Inc. Radnor, PA
  • Kinetic Ceramics Philadelphia, PA
  • Kurt J. Lesker Company Jefferson Hills, PA
  • PEI-Genesis Philadelphia, PA
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Alabama

  • Blue Origin Huntsville, AL
  • Draper Huntsville, AL
  • Lockheed Martin Huntsville, AL
  • Measurement Specialties Huntsville, AL
  • Teledyne Brown Huntsville, AL
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Illinois

  • Coilcraft Cary, IL
  • Kepner Products Villa Park, IL
  • Newark Chicago, IL
  • STS Operating Addison, IL
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Indiana

  • Britt Tool Brazil, IN
  • C&A Tool Engineering Churubusco, IN
  • Howmet La Porte, IN
  • Mears Machine Avon, IN
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Connecticut

  • Collins Aerospace Windsor Locks, CT
  • Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Simsbury, CT
  • Omega Engineering Norwalk, CT
  • The Lee Company Westbrook, CT
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HLS National Team Suppliers In New Mexico

  • Alpha Engineering Santa Fe, NM
  • Ideal Vacuum Products Albuquerque, NM
  • Professional Strategic Services Albuquerque, NM
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Mississippi

  • Aerojet Rocketdyne Stennis, MS
  • Lockheed Martin Stennis, MS
  • Northrop Grumman Iuka, MS
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Louisiana

  • AWC Baton Rouge, LA
  • International Mezzo Technologies Baton Rouge, LA
  • Lockheed Martin Michoud, LA
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HLS National Team Suppliers In New Jersey

  • Marotta Controls Montville, NJ
  • Powell Electronics Logan Township, NJ
  • TDK-Lambda Americas Neptune, NJ
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HLS National Team Suppliers In North Carolina

  • Fluid Flow Charlotte, NC
  • Honeywell Charlotte, NC
  • Justin Electronics Wilmington, NC
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Oklahoma

  • Electro Enterprises Inc. Oklahoma City, OK
  • Frontier Electronic Systems Stillwater, OK
  • Pryer Aerospace Tulsa, OK
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Nevada

  • Cryostar Distribution North America Henderson, NV
  • Sierra Nevada Corporation Sparks, NV
  • Technica Optical Components Reno, NV
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HLS National Team Suppliers In New Hampshire

  • 603 Manufacturing Hudson, NH
  • Marco Rubber & Plastics Seabrook, NH
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Rhode Island

  • Hexagon North Kingstown, RI
  • Schroff Warwick, RI
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Missouri

  • EaglePicher Technologies Joplin, MO
  • Spear Power Systems Grandview, MO
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Michigan

  • Altair Engineering Troy, MI
  • Futuramic Tool & Engineering Warren, MI
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Maryland

  • Hexagon Taneytown, MD
  • Xometry Gaithersburg, MD
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Kansas

  • Accurus Aerospace Wichita, KS
  • Wichita State University Wichita, KS
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Utah

  • Hypercomp Engineering Brigham City, UT
  • Rock West Composites West Jordan, UT
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Vermont

  • Concepts NREC White River Junction, VT
  • OnLogic South Burlington, VT
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Wisconsin

  • ATI Ladish Cudahy, WI
  • Uline Pleasant Prairie, WI
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HLS National Team Suppliers In South Dakota

  • Sterling Computers Corporation North Sioux City, SD
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HLS National Team Suppliers In South Carolina

  • RBC Bearings Westminster, SC
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Tennessee

  • American Magnetics Inc. Oak Ridge, TN
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HLS National Team Suppliers In West Virginia

  • Constellium Ravenswood, WV
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Alaska

  • GCSIT Anchorage, AK
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Montana

  • SeaCast Butte, MT
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Oregon

  • Northwest Fluid System Technologies Portland, OR
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Nebraska

  • Hexagon Lincoln, NE
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Kentucky

  • Mazak Florence, KY
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Idaho

  • AMET Rexburg, ID
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Iowa

  • Genesis Systems Davenport, IA
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Hawaii

  • University of Hawaii Honolulu, HI
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Georgia

  • AstroTelos Decatur, GA
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Delaware

  • FS.COM New Castle, DE
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HLS National Team Suppliers In Arkansas

  • Ducommun Berryville, AR
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HLS National Team Suppliers In North Dakota

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HLS National Team Suppliers In Maine

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HLS National Team Suppliers In Wyoming

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NATIONAL TEAM

Safe, Low-Risk, Fast

The National Team’s architecture is mature and flexible. Able to fly on multiple existing launch vehicles, the system is built on proven technologies that are operating today.

BLUE ORIGIN
The Descent Element

Blue Origin is providing the Descent Element that is based on the Blue Moon cargo lunar lander and its BE-7 engine, which have been in development for three years. Variants can meet a range of delivery capabilities for both crew and cargo anywhere on the Moon’s surface, including the lunar South Pole. The lander’s autonomy, guidance, vertical landing architecture, powerful and throttleable liquid engines, and lean operations – leveraging technologies developed and in service on New Shepard.  

LOCKHEED MARTIN
Ascent Element

Lockheed Martin is providing the crewed Ascent Element and is leading the crewed flight operations and training. The Ascent Element draws heavily from Lockheed Martin’s experience developing NASA’s Orion spacecraft, from direct build-to-print items to multiple common subsystems.

NORTHROP GRUMMAN
The Transfer Element

Northrop Grumman Corporation provides the Transfer Element that brings the landing system down toward the Moon, maximizing delivered mass for both crew and cargo. The Transfer Element is based on its Cygnus cargo module, which has flown 13 resupply missions to the International Space Station.    

DRAPER

Flight Avionics and Descent Guidance

Draper leads descent guidance and flight avionics, leveraging crew-rated algorithms that Draper has demonstrated on previous NASA exploration missions.

Competition

Success Hinges on Redundancy

Landing astronauts on the Moon is hard. By embracing redundancy through a second lunar lander provider, America increases its chances of returning to the Moon as soon as possible.

Download Infographic PDF
Lunar Starship Complexity Infographic
SUSTAINABILITY

This Time to Stay

The National Team’s approach to long-term sustainability focuses on reusability to increase affordability. More capable and longer missions to more locations on the surface will enable permanent, sustained surface operations, habitation, and development of lunar resources. The National Team looks forward to embarking on the next steps with NASA and returning to the Moon – this time to stay.

The Artemis Program

We’re Going to the Moon

The National Team’s partnership brings NASA immense experience developing, integrating, and operating launch systems, human-rated spacecraft, and planetary landers. This gives the National Team a head start on every element required for HLS. In addition, significant concurrent private investment delivers the best value for the nation. With a flexible launch approach and system architecture built for sustainability – the National Team will meet this bold national challenge.

Support the National Team. Browse additional whitepapers below.

Expert: Second Lander Legal through Appendix H Why Appendix N/LETS Won't Work NASA's Decision Wrong for USA Space Leadership Second Lunar Lander is Required
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Your Flight To Space & Back

T-35 Minutes

T-35 Minutes

Enter the capsule and buckle up for your flight.

T-0 Minutes

T-0 Minutes

Liftoff!

T+3 Minutes

T+3 Minutes

Weightlessness begins as the capsule separates from the booster.

T+3-5 Minutes

T+3-5 Minutes

Free float in the capsule for several minutes in zero-g, passing the Kármán Line and ascending above 100 kilometers.

T+5 Minutes

T+5 Minutes

Buckle back up for the capsules free-float descent back to Earth under parachutes.

T+7.5 Minutes

T+7.5 Minutes

Booster lands on the pad in West Texas.

T+11 Minutes

T+11 Minutes

Capsule touches down gently as a retro-thrust system creates a pillow of air for a soft landing.

T+21 Minutes

T+21 Minutes

The hatch opens as your guests and CrewMember 7 guides greet you for celebration.