Washington DC [US], October 21 (ANI): Acting Administrator Sean Duffy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Monday (local time) suggested that the US space agency will open its Human Landing System (HLS) production contracts for the Artemis lunar program to additional companies, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin.
In a post on X, Duffy said the move aims to promote competition and innovation to help the US outpace China in the race to the Moon. However, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk swiftly dismissed the decision, asserting that SpaceX’s Starship will dominate the mission.
“We are in a race against China, so we need the best companies to operate at a speed that gets us to the Moon FIRST. SpaceX has the contract to build the HLS, which will get U.S. astronauts there on Artemis III. But competition and innovation are the keys to our dominance in space, so NASA is opening up HLS production to Blue Origin and other great American companies,” Duffy said.
According to CNN, Duffy expressed concern that SpaceX, which holds a USD 2.9 billion contract to deliver the lunar lander for astronauts, is falling behind schedule, potentially jeopardizing the agency’s goal of landing humans on the Moon ahead of China in the intensifying space race.
Duffy’s remarks come amid renewed scrutiny over NASA’s 2021 decision to award the lunar lander contract solely to SpaceX. Industry experts have questioned whether the complexity of using SpaceX’s Starship system could delay the mission, possibly giving China an opportunity to reach the Moon first. The Artemis III mission, which aims to send the first humans to the lunar South Pole region, is currently scheduled for no earlier than mid-2027.
Musk, however, dismissed concerns about delays and responded defiantly on X, saying, “They won’t. SpaceX is moving like lightning compared to the rest of the space industry. Moreover, Starship will end up doing the whole Moon mission. Mark my words.”
Musk’s comments carry extra weight given his contentious relationship with US President Donald Trump, whose administration oversees NASA funding. Once close allies, the two have clashed publicly over policy differences, including Trump’s major tax cut and spending bill.
According to CNN, any revision or cancellation of NASA’s current agreement with SpaceX would represent a significant shift in the agency’s strategy since selecting Starship in 2021 as the primary lander for Artemis III.
Starship remains in an early development phase, having experienced three in-flight failures and a few successful suborbital tests in 2025. NASA currently holds contracts with two private companies for lunar lander development: SpaceX, using its Starship vehicle, and Blue Origin, which is developing its own lander, Blue Moon.
While SpaceX is slated to carry astronauts to the Moon in Artemis III, Blue Origin is expected to support later missions in the Artemis program, such as Artemis V, after receiving its contract in 2023, CNN reported.
The Artemis III timeline has raised growing concern among US lawmakers, who fear delays could allow China to beat the US back to the lunar surface. China has publicly stated its goal of landing taikonauts — Chinese astronauts — on the Moon by 2030, according to CNN. (ANI)
About The Author
