Overview
- NASA confirmed it received acceleration proposals from SpaceX and Blue Origin and plans to issue an industry-wide request for information next.
- SpaceX said it has completed 49 Human Landing System milestones, is self-funding most Starship development, and has begun fabricating a flight-capable crew cabin for testing and training.
- The company targets 2026 for a long-duration orbital flight and an in-space propellant transfer test, which NASA officials earlier acknowledged had slipped from this year.
- Acting Administrator Sean Duffy has signaled reopening the Artemis III lander contract, while former chiefs Jim Bridenstine and Charlie Bolden urged pursuing alternative, faster lander options.
- The debate has grown more urgent as U.S. leaders cite competition with China’s planned lunar landing around 2030 and as public tensions flared between Elon Musk and Duffy.