Washington: NASA is planning to select United Launch Alliance to provide an important component for its moon rocket as part of the Artemis program, according to a report by Bloomberg News.

The US space agency is considering using the Centaur V upper stage developed by United Launch Alliance for future launches of the Space Launch System rocket. The upper stage is the part of the rocket that gives the final push needed to send a spacecraft from Earth’s orbit toward the Moon or deep space.

United Launch Alliance is a joint venture formed by Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The Centaur V stage is currently used in the company’s Vulcan rocket.

The report said NASA may begin using this component from the fourth flight of the Space Launch System rocket, which is planned for later missions in the Artemis program.

NASA has been looking for ways to reduce costs and avoid delays in the moon program. Earlier plans involved a new upgraded upper stage for the rocket that was being developed mainly by Boeing. However, the project faced rising costs and schedule concerns.

Using the already developed Centaur V stage could help NASA save money and speed up the timeline for future missions. It may also reduce the need for developing a completely new system.

The Artemis program is Nasa’s major effort to return astronauts to the Moon for the first time in more than fifty years. The program aims to build a long term human presence on the Moon and use it as a base for future missions to Mars.

The first Artemis mission was successfully launched in 2022 without astronauts. Artemis II is expected to send astronauts around the Moon in the coming years, while later missions aim to land humans on the lunar surface.

NASA and United Launch Alliance have not yet made an official announcement about the reported plan. However, the move shows the space agency is exploring new ways to make its moon missions more efficient and cost effective.