The Artemis program at NASA is now actively progressing, and a key partnership competing to develop the lunar landing system involves Lockheed Martin and Blue Origin, with the latter leading the initiative. Lisa Callahan, Lockheed’s Vice President and General Manager of Commercial Civil Space, notes that this collaborative effort has been remarkably harmonious and productive.

During TC Sessions: Space, Callahan voiced her enthusiasm for participating in this ambitious project, stating, “The opportunity to contribute to something like this is incredibly appealing.” She added, “A significant portion of our team wasn’t involved in the Apollo program, and they are genuinely thrilled to be part of this new era, returning humans to the moon—and, personally, the prospect of sending the first woman to the moon is truly inspiring.”

Callahan detailed that Lockheed is concentrating on the ascent module, while Northrup Grumman and Draper are responsible for other essential components. Blue Origin, as the primary contractor, is developing the descent module.

“This represents a compelling blend of Blue Origin’s entrepreneurial spirit with the established expertise of companies like Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, and Draper, all drawing upon their legacies from the Apollo era, to unite national capabilities around this crucial national objective,” she explained.

One might anticipate some challenges arising from the combination of established competitors and a newer company, but Callahan reports that the collaboration has been exceptionally positive.

“It’s a fusion of distinct organizational cultures, and I believe everyone involved is benefiting from the experience,” she said. “Blue Origin has excelled as the prime contractor, fostering an inclusive atmosphere—what I would describe as a team environment where company affiliation is secondary. In our technical meetings, it’s often difficult to discern who works for which organization, as we prioritize bringing the most qualified individuals and relevant experience to each task. The process has been remarkably smooth and enjoyable.”

This progress has been achieved despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, which has prompted operational changes across nearly all businesses. Callahan indicated that this situation has actually highlighted the importance of ongoing efforts to modernize operations, rather than disrupting their plans.

“We’ve been investing in what we call digital transformation for approximately the last five years—including digital collaboration tools and the creation of digital twins of our spacecraft, allowing multiple team members to work on the design simultaneously,” she explained. “The positive outcome, if you will, is that COVID has accelerated these advancements, demonstrating our ability to collaborate effectively in a virtual environment in ways we hadn’t previously considered.”

Lockheed’s immediate focus is the delivery of its Orion spacecraft to the Kennedy Space Station in Cape Canaveral.

“We are very much looking forward to this milestone. We will be delivering the system across the VAB [NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building], where it will undergo launch preparations for a launch scheduled for 2021. This will mark the first launch of Orion with the Space Launch System,” Callahan stated.

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