NASA Opens Competition for Artemis III Lunar Lander

NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy revealed that the agency is reopening the contract for the first U.S. crewed lunar landing since the 1970s, inviting proposals from companies beyond SpaceX’s Starship.

The move aims to accelerate the Artemis III mission and ensure American astronauts return to the Moon’s surface before China’s planned landing by 2030, amid concerns over SpaceX’s schedule slips.

Duffy emphasized the need for speed in the face of international competition. “SpaceX is behind schedule with the Human Landing System,” he stated, referring to the Starship variant selected for Artemis III.

“We’re opening this up to Blue Origin and maybe others to foster competition and get us back to the Moon before the end of President Trump’s term in January 2029.”

The decision marks a significant shift in NASA’s Artemis program, which seeks to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon. Artemis III, the program’s flagship crewed landing mission, was originally slated to use SpaceX’s Starship, awarded the contract in 2021 for its cost-effectiveness and performance potential.
However, Starship has faced scrutiny following multiple failures in early Version 2 test flights. As of 2025, the vehicle remains suborbital, and SpaceX has yet to demonstrate the critical on-orbit refueling technology required for lunar missions.

NASA’s strategy has evolved over the years. In 2023, the agency selected Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 lander for Artemis V, scheduled no earlier than 2030, as a secondary option to promote redundancy—similar to the Commercial Crew Program’s approach with multiple providers.
Artemis IV also relies on Starship, but Duffy’s announcement signals a potential pivot for the earlier Artemis III to avoid further delays.

Duffy highlighted Blue Origin as a frontrunner, not for its complex Mark 2 lander—which requires orbital refueling like Starship—but for the simpler, uncrewed Blue Moon Mark 1.
This smaller vehicle, larger than the Apollo Lunar Module and not dependent on refueling, is already in production and testing, with launches planned for early 2026 and 2027. Experts suggest modifications could enable it to carry a crew, potentially expediting a U.S. return to the Moon.

Mark 1 is in advanced production, with the first unit (MK1-SN001) fully assembled as of October 2025 and slated for vacuum chamber testing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Other companies may enter the fray. Lockheed Martin, in a statement following the announcement, indicated it has been quietly developing a “safe solution to return humans to the Moon as quickly as possible,” positioning itself as a contender even before Duffy’s reveal.

The news quickly drew sharp reactions from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who took to X to defend his company’s progress and criticize competitors.

In one post, Musk wrote, “Blue Origin has never delivered a (useful) payload to orbit, let alone the Moon.” He added in another, “They won’t [get there faster]. SpaceX is moving like lightning compared to the rest of the space industry. Moreover, Starship will end up doing the whole Moon mission. Mark my words.”

Musk downplayed the urgency of beating China, advocating instead for long-term sustainability. Responding to a user who argued the U.S. should focus on building the best lunar base rather than a rushed landing, Musk used a pun reply saying, “This is the based move.”

In a separate post, he elaborated: “A permanently crewed lunar science base would be far more impressive than a repeat of what was already done incredibly well by Apollo in 1969.”

The announcement has left many questions unanswered, including the timeline for the new competition, proposal deadlines, and funding sources. NASA’s budget constraints have long been a challenge for the Artemis program, and this pivot could require additional congressional approval amid ongoing fiscal debates.

China’s Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), also known as the Chang’e Project after the mythical Moon goddess, is a comprehensive initiative led by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). It is often cited as the driving force threat that the U.S needs to beat.
Launched in 2004, it aims to advance scientific understanding of the Moon through robotic missions, resource mapping, and technology development, ultimately paving the way for crewed exploration and a permanent human presence on the Moon.

By October 2025, China had made significant strides, including recent analyses of lunar samples that revealed differences between the Moon’s near and far sides, as well as preparations for crewed landings by 2030.

(Lead image: NASA HLS – Credit: NASA)

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