Overview
- Acting NASA chief Sean Duffy said the Artemis III lunar-landing contract will be re-bid, giving rivals such as Blue Origin a chance to compete.
- Duffy cited SpaceX being behind schedule after multiple Starship test failures earlier this year, while noting the latest mid-October flight was largely successful.
- NASA will not wait on a single provider, with Duffy signaling the government could reassign the multibillion-dollar award if progress lags.
- SpaceX holds a NASA contract reported at about $4.4 billion, awarded in 2021 to develop the Artemis III lunar lander using Starship.
- Artemis II remains planned as a crewed lunar flyby in April 2026, and Duffy said the mission could be moved up to February.