Overview
- Acting NASA chief Sean Duffy said he is opening the Artemis III Human Landing System competition beyond SpaceX after citing schedule delays on Starship.
- NASA asked SpaceX and Blue Origin to submit acceleration approaches by October 29, and no existing contracts have been formally terminated.
- Duffy said he wants the crewed Artemis II flyaround moved to February 2026 and is aiming to return astronauts to the Moon by 2028.
- Elon Musk attacked Duffy in posts on X while insisting Starship will complete the entire Moon mission.
- Reporting highlights major technical hurdles for Starship and notes potential legal and funding complications, with Blue Origin and traditional contractors signaling interest in competing.