Overview
- Acting administrator Sean Duffy reopened the Artemis III Human Landing System contract on Oct. 20, citing Starship schedule slips and pressure to beat China’s stated 2030 goal.
- SpaceX published a detailed update outlining a simplified mission architecture and pledging 2026 demonstrations, including a long‑duration orbital flight and ship‑to‑ship propellant transfer.
- The company says it has begun fabricating a flight‑capable test cabin with life‑support, avionics and crew systems to advance certification and training for a lunar landing.
- Starship has flown 11 tests since 2023, including an Oct. 13 splashdown, yet a safe upper‑stage landing and orbital refueling remain unproven milestones.
- NASA is evaluating proposals reported from Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin that aim to reduce technical risk, as SpaceX’s fixed‑price HLS award has grown to roughly $4–$4.4 billion with milestone‑based payments.