But the third team, Dynetics, knows what it's up against. While Dynetics has been around for nearly half a century and has done a wide array of work for the Pentagon and NASA, the company has its head down to develop its HLS lander with an appealing combination of innovation, cost effectiveness and flexibility.
The first mission would see the Dynetics spacecraft carry two NASA astronauts on the final leg of their journey to the Moon's surface. The company's spacecraft would meet the astronauts in lunar orbit, connecting with either the Orion capsule the crew launched in or NASA's proposed orbiting Gateway station.
"We've chosen eight because it allows us to simplify the engine design somewhat and also gives us the ability to abort in every case all the way down to when we land on the surface," Crocker said.