New NASA Lunar Competition Heats Up
The US space agency has opened the lunar lander contract, currently held by SpaceX, to new competitors. The United States and China are engaged in a race to be the first nation in over fifty years to send humans to the Moon.
Emerging Rivalry Between American Billionaires
A new competition among American companies to build the landing vehicle has emerged, potentially pitting Elon Musk against his billionaire rival Jeff Bezos. This rivalry has already sparked a public dispute between Musk and NASA’s acting chief, Sean Duffy, revealing tensions over NASA's leadership and direction.
Background on the SpaceX Contract
In April 2021, SpaceX was awarded the contract to develop the lunar lander for NASA’s Artemis III mission, marking the first American lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. The lander is based on SpaceX’s innovative Starship vehicle, developed at its Texas facility.
Starship Test Flights
- Since April 2023, SpaceX has conducted 11 Starship test flights.
- Launches in August and October 2025 were successful.
- The three prior flights failed in the upper stage, the section designed to carry astronauts.
Rising Pressure Amid Lunar Race
With China advancing rapidly in its lunar ambitions, pressure on SpaceX to demonstrate progress has increased. However, the definition of milestones remains partly subjective.
On October 20, Sean Duffy announced that he was opening up SpaceX’s US$4 billion contract to competition.
Author’s Summary
The US lunar lander contract competition reveals a high-stakes battle between SpaceX and rival companies amid growing US concerns over China’s Moon race.