NASA opens Artemis 3 contract to competition amid SpaceX delays
NASA announced on Monday that it is opening the Artemis 3 moon mission contract to rival bids as SpaceX falls behind schedule, according to NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, who also serves as U.S. Transportation Secretary.
Speaking on Fox News, Duffy said, “We’re going to have a space race in regard to American companies competing to see who can actually get us back to the moon first.” He indicated that Blue Origin and potentially other companies could join the bidding process, signaling a shift from the exclusive partnership previously planned with SpaceX’s Starship, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The multibillion-dollar Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon by 2027, ahead of China’s planned astronaut landing around 2030. Duffy emphasized the urgency of the timeline, noting that President Trump wants the mission completed before January 2029, the end of his term.
Artemis 2, the precursor 10-day lunar mission involving systems from Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin, is reportedly on track for April 2026, with a possibility of moving the launch up to February.
Duffy noted that SpaceX is behind schedule, raising concerns about meeting mission goals on time. The announcement opens the door for competition from other private space companies to ensure the U.S. maintains a lead in lunar exploration.
Representatives for SpaceX and Blue Origin were not immediately available for comment.
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