NASA's acting administrator, Sean Duffy, recently announced significant changes regarding the contract for the Artemis 3 mission, which is aimed at landing astronauts on the moon. The announcement, made during interviews on CNBC and Fox News on October 20, highlighted that SpaceX, which has been awarded the Human Landing System (HLS) contract for this mission, is currently behind schedule. This delay has prompted NASA to consider opening up the contract for competition among other space companies.
During his appearances, Duffy stated, “SpaceX had the contract for Artemis 3. The problem is they’re behind. They push their timelines out, and we’re in a race against China.” He emphasized the urgency of the mission, expressing the desire to achieve lunar landing within the current presidential term. To facilitate this, Duffy announced plans to allow other companies to compete for the contract, stating, “I’m going to let other space companies compete with SpaceX, like Blue Origin, and whatever one can get us there first, to the moon, we’re going to take.”
While Duffy did not provide specifics on how this competitive process would function or how it would be funded, he emphasized that a “space race” among American companies is on the horizon. NASA’s press secretary, Bethany Stevens, later clarified that both SpaceX and Blue Origin have until October 29 to present acceleration plans for their lunar landers. Furthermore, NASA plans to reach out to the entire commercial space industry through a Request for Information (RFI) to explore ways to enhance the frequency of moon missions.
This announcement marks a notable shift in NASA's stance, as it is the first public acknowledgment that the development of the HLS version of Starship is not progressing according to schedule. Previously, Duffy had maintained that Artemis 3 would launch in 2027, despite several setbacks related to SpaceX's test flights earlier this year that made this timeline increasingly unlikely. Duffy had received assurances from SpaceX executives that they were on track to meet the mission's deadlines. However, he has since acknowledged that Artemis 3 may not launch as initially planned.
One of the competitors to SpaceX is Blue Origin, which has its own HLS contract to develop the Blue Moon Mark 2 lander for Artemis 5. Reports indicate that Blue Origin has been exploring adaptations of its smaller Blue Moon Mark 1 lander for crewed missions, although industry insiders have described these adaptations as makeshift. Other companies, including Lockheed Martin, are also developing concepts for human lunar landers, emphasizing their commitment to providing safe solutions for lunar exploration.
Despite the competition, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk expressed confidence in his company's capabilities. In a social media post, Musk dismissed concerns about potential competition, asserting that "SpaceX is moving like lightning compared to the rest of the space industry." He further stated, “Moreover, Starship will end up doing the whole moon mission. Mark my words,” underscoring SpaceX's commitment to leading the lunar exploration efforts.
As NASA navigates the challenges of the Artemis program and re-evaluates its partnerships, the competition for the Artemis 3 mission promises to invigorate the landscape of lunar exploration. With multiple companies vying for the opportunity to land astronauts on the moon, the race to return humans to lunar soil is set to become even more dynamic and competitive.
