Overview
- Acting administrator Sean Duffy said NASA is opening the Human Landing System to new bids and issued an RFI to industry, asking SpaceX and Blue Origin to submit acceleration plans by October 29.
- NASA confirmed the Starship lunar lander will not be ready for the previously planned landing and now targets first crewed-readiness in 2028.
- Experts highlight major technical hurdles for Starship’s approach, including multiple in‑orbit refueling flights and cryogenic boil‑off that could drive up the number of tanker missions.
- Competitors are mobilizing alternatives, with Blue Origin positioning its Blue Moon lander and Lockheed Martin assembling a staged design using Orion‑derived hardware and off‑the‑shelf components.
- China reports steady progress toward a crewed lunar landing before 2030, including a landing‑and‑ascent test of its Lanyue lander and development of the Long March 10 rocket.