Tue Oct 21 20:20:00 UTC 2025: ## NASA Considers Opening Lunar Landing Contract as SpaceX Faces Delays

WASHINGTON D.C. – Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy announced Monday that the agency is considering opening up the lunar landing system contract for the Artemis mission, currently held by SpaceX, due to concerns over delays. Speaking on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Duffy stated, “We’re not going to wait for one company. We’re going to push this forward and win the second space race against the Chinese. Get back to the moon, set up a camp, a base.”

The Artemis mission aims to establish a long-term presence on the Moon as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars. SpaceX secured a contract in 2021 to provide the lunar landing system for the Artemis III mission, which was recently delayed to 2027. NASA now aims to land on the moon by 2028 with two different companies.

Duffy highlighted Blue Origin, led by Jeff Bezos, as a potential competitor that could step in. “They push their timelines out, and we’re in a race against China,” Duffy said, referring to SpaceX. “The president and I want to get to the moon in this president’s term, so I’m going to open up the contracts.”

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, responded to Duffy’s comments on X, claiming that Blue Origin “has never delivered a payload to orbit, let alone the Moon.” He later clarified that he was referring to “useful payload.” Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, a potential competitor to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, successfully conducted a test flight with a payload.

The announcement comes amidst ongoing government shutdowns, which could impact the contracting process. CNBC’s request for comment on the contracting process received an automatic reply that the agency was closed. However, CNBC previously reported that NASA employees working on the Artemis missions would continue working during the shutdown.

The space sector has recently faced setbacks, with SpaceX’s Starship test rocket experiencing a series of delays and explosions, and Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket also exploding shortly after being cleared for testing.

The Artemis mission involves multiple contractors including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, and this move signifies a renewed sense of urgency from NASA to achieve its lunar ambitions amidst rising international competition.

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