NASA Considers Alternatives as SpaceX Falls Behind on Artemis 3

NASA is reevaluating its partnership with SpaceX for the Artemis 3 mission, the first crewed moon landing in over 50 years, due to concerns about the company’s development timeline. In a statement made on October 20, Acting Administrator Sean Duffy expressed dissatisfaction with SpaceX’s progress on the lunar lander, which was awarded a contract worth $2.9 billion in April 2021.

The lunar lander, a modified upper stage of SpaceX’s Starship megarocket, is critical for transporting astronauts to the lunar surface. Duffy indicated that delays in the Starship program and other challenges have prompted NASA to consider opening up the contract to other competitors, including Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos.

NASA’s Shift in Strategy

During an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Duffy emphasized the urgency of meeting mission timelines, stating, “I love SpaceX; it’s an amazing company. The problem is, they’re behind. They’ve pushed their timelines out, and we’re in a race against China.” He added that the Biden administration aims to achieve a moon landing within the current president’s term, which influences NASA’s decision to allow other companies to compete for the contract.

Blue Origin, which secured a separate Artemis Human Landing System contract worth $3.4 billion in 2023, is developing its own lunar lander, the Blue Moon. Although the company intends to be ready for a crewed mission, Musk has expressed skepticism regarding Blue Origin’s ability to meet the timeline, citing its lack of successful payload deliveries to orbit.

Delays and Future Plans

The timeline for the Artemis 3 mission has faced multiple shifts over the past few years, initially targeting a launch in late 2024. This date was subsequently postponed to 2025, then to September 2026, and most recently to mid-2027. Duffy suggested during the interview that a new target could be set for 2028.

NASA has already conducted the successful Artemis 1 mission, which saw an uncrewed Orion spacecraft launch and return from lunar orbit in late 2022. The agency is preparing for Artemis 2, scheduled to carry four astronauts on a 10-day mission around the moon as early as February 2024.

As SpaceX continues to work on its Starship program, which has completed 11 suborbital test flights to date, NASA’s competitive approach may accelerate the development of lunar landers. Duffy also noted China’s ambitious plans to land astronauts on the moon by 2030, highlighting the global space race.

With no humans having walked on the lunar surface since the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972, the upcoming Artemis missions represent a significant step forward in human space exploration. The outcome of NASA’s decision regarding the Artemis 3 contract could reshape the future of lunar exploration and the partnerships involved in it.