The USA and China are locked in a competition to be the primary nation to ship people to the lunar floor in part a century. However there’s a creating twist: an rising festival between American firms to construct the touchdown automobile that would win this new Moon race for america.
The dust-up over the lunar lander may just pit Elon Musk towards his billionaire rival Jeff Bezos. And it has already sparked a confrontation between Musk and Nasa’s performing leader, Sean Duffy, which exposes fault traces over the course and management of america house company.
In April 2021 Musk’s corporate, SpaceX, used to be awarded the contract to expand the touchdown automobile for Nasa’s Artemis III challenge – the primary go back to the lunar floor through American citizens since Apollo 17 in 1972. The lander used to be to be in accordance with the cutting edge Starship automobile, already below building on the time on the corporate’s base in south Texas.
SpaceX has performed 11 check flights of Starship since April 2023. Whilst launches in August and October 2025 have been a success, the former 3 flights led to failure for the higher degree, or “ship” – which is the phase meant to hold astronauts.
With China mounting a powerful bid for supremacy at the Moon, power used to be rising on SpaceX to make larger growth (regardless that milestones are to some degree subjective). On October 20, Sean Duffy introduced that he used to be opening up SpaceX’s US$4.4 billion (£3.3 billion) contract to rival firms, mentioning delays with Starship. Duffy, who could also be america transportation secretary, has been Nasa’s performing head since July.
Sean Duffy has been performing head of Nasa since July 2025.
Nasa / Invoice Ingalls
Musk’s corporate should nonetheless exhibit constant release protection. It additionally has to check essential applied sciences, comparable to refuelling Starship in orbit, earlier than the deliberate 2027 date for Artemis III. “They (SpaceX) do remarkable things, but they’re behind schedule,” Duffy claimed.
China plans to land its astronauts at the Moon through 2030 and key figures in america house neighborhood have warned that The usa would possibly lose the race.
In October 2025, Jim Bridenstine, who led Nasa below the primary Trump management, informed a US Senate listening to: “Unless something changes, it is highly unlikely the United States will beat China’s projected timeline.”
An artist’s impact of Starship (left) docked to Nasa’s Orion spacecraft (proper) in lunar orbit.
SpaceX
For the reason that Nasa landed crews at the lunar floor six occasions within the Nineteen Sixties and 70s, getting there now may appear as though it must be simple. Sadly the rockets and tablets used for the Apollo programme are not in provider and could be extraordinarily tough to breed lately. With complex era, then again, we must have the ability to produce extra environment friendly missions in a position to launching heavier payloads.
In fact the massive distinction between now and the Apollo period is investment. At its top (between 1965 and 1966) Nasa used to be being given 4.5% of all US spending once a year. This dropped constantly over next many years and, in 2024, sat at round 0.4%. This issue of ten much less way fewer personnel, diminished innovation and extra reliance on global collaborations.
Nasa has an extra downside that many different spacefaring international locations don’t.
The president is helping decide the targets of the company. With the place of job converting arms (and doubtlessly birthday celebration) each 4 to 8 years, a novel imaginative and prescient may also be tough to ascertain. It will possibly additionally make the company slower to react to converting geopolitics.
New entrants?
With China’s deliberate Moon release speedy coming near, Duffy’s name for brand new landers may seem to be slicing it wonderful. One most probably contender might be able to alter an current automobile quite than ranging from scratch. Jeff Bezos’ corporate, Blue Starting place, is making plans an uncrewed release of its Mark 1 lander to the lunar floor in early 2026. The automobile used to be designed to move shipment, no longer other people. However a file in Ars Technica suggests Blue Starting place is having a look to revamp the spacecraft in order that it might elevate staff.
On the similar time, aerospace large Lockheed Martin has additionally been placing in combination a gaggle of a dozen different unnamed business avid gamers who would construct a lunar lander from current {hardware}. Lockheed’s imaginative and prescient for the Artemis III lander would take some design cues from the Apollo-era lunar module.
The day after Duffy’s lunar contract announcement, Musk introduced an internet tirade at Nasa’s performing leader. On X, Musk posted: “Should someone whose biggest claim to fame is climbing trees be running America’s space program?”
Duffy is a former member of Congress and global champion lumberjack pace climber. He holds a bachelor’s level in advertising and marketing and a legislation level. When evaluating {qualifications}, it must be famous that Musk holds a bachelor’s level (in economics and physics) however pulled out of graduate research at Stanford.
Alternatively, the SpaceX boss’s feud with Duffy would possibly prolong past the prospective lack of the lander contract. The Wall Boulevard Magazine not too long ago reported on a “power struggle” over who will completely lead Nasa below the second one Trump management. The SpaceX boss has lengthy subsidized fellow billionaire and personal astronaut Jared Isaacman to be accountable for the gap company.
Jared Isaacman had prior to now been nominated to guide Nasa.
Nasa / Invoice Ingalls
Isaacman used to be prior to now nominated through President Trump to guide Nasa, however his nomination used to be later withdrawn. The Wall Boulevard Magazine file says Isaacman continues to be in competition to guide the company. Ars Technica, in the meantime, has reported that Duffy needs to stay in rate.
Whoever is chosen will lend a hand form the company’s priorities at a essential time. Opening up the Artemis III lander contract may just result in additional infighting between Nasa and business, endangering – quite than accelerating – the agenda. It is going to additionally value cash this is badly wanted in different portions of the company, comparable to its science department. This is able to, as an example, be spent hiring researchers to analyse knowledge from Nasa’s current missions.
Protecting his corporate’s monitor document on X, Elon Musk posted: “SpaceX is moving like lightning compared to the rest of the space industry.” He added: “Starship will end up doing the whole Moon mission, mark my words.”
As Sean Duffy posted in reaction: “Love the passion. The race to the Moon is ON.”
