Jim Bridenstine, the leader of NASA, told CNBC his predictions for the future of the space industry.
, among others, to build its massive "Space Launch System" rocket and Orion capsule. In addition, both SpaceX and Blue Origin are working on spacecraft that could send cargo and humans to the moon. Utilizing these private technologies, Bridenstine thinks NASA will be able to achieve its current lunar goals for "well less than $20 billion."
"We have numerous providers that are competing on cost and innovation so we're at a very, I think, pivotal moment and we need to take advantage of it," Bridenstine said.NASA is increasingly relying on private companies , which Bridenstine thinks will help the agency send humans to the moon in a faster time frame than previously expected.
Bridenstine touted the Apollo missions for the technologies and products that resulted from the program's innovations, saying it resulted in "multiple hundreds of billions of dollars worth of exports" for the U.S. "The transformation that came from Apollo is unquestioned and it's good for the human condition," Bridenstine added.
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