NASA is delaying the development of its SpaceX-produced Artemis lunar lander after the filing of a lawsuit by competing firm Blue Origin.

The cutthroat dual between SpaceX and Blue Origin for the lucrative contract to develop NASA's next-generation manned lander seemed to have concluded with the awarding of said development contract to the former company. Given the success that Elon Musk's aerospace firm has experienced so far in developing its spacecraft, including a successful manned flight to the International Space Station, and the delay-plagued development of Blue Origin's craft, NASA's decision might have seemed rather apparent from a technical perspective.

Blue Origin's lawsuit, the company claims, is "an attempt to remedy the flaws in the acquisition process found in NASA's Human Landing System." The firm further stated that "the issues identified in this procurement and its outcomes must be addressed to restore fairness, create competition, and ensure a safe return to the Moon for America."

Owing to a protective order filed as part of Blue Origin's suit, details on what deficiencies the firm has found are scarce. Given the rather public animosity between Origin's Jeff Bezos and SpaceX's Musk over the dispute, the lawsuit has already prompted speculation of the litigation being a matter of "bruised ego."

While undoubtedly a likely factor, the loss of the contract may also be seen as an existential crisis for Blue Origin. The firm's difficulties in achieving even Bezos' brief flight are well documented, with a dismal picture of the firm's inner workings provided by former employees on professional sites such as Glassdoor. The morale and staffing troubles of Blue Origin have been more blatantly apparent as of late, with over a dozen top key executives and engineers departing the company in the weeks following Bezos' spaceflight.

The loss of the Artemis contract leaves Blue Origin lacking both income and the reputation boost that the successful development of a lunar lander could bring to the firm.