NASA opens new Moon mission bids amid SpaceX delays

NASA Administrator Sean Duffy said the agency will open the human-lunar-landing contract to fresh competition, arguing that SpaceX has fallen behind schedule and that the United States is in a race with China. Speaking on Fox News, Duffy suggested Blue Origin and other US firms could bid as the Artemis program accelerates under the current administration.

Duffy later wrote on X that competition and innovation are critical to maintaining US leadership in space. SpaceX remains the incumbent contractor, but NASA wants options as it tries to keep timelines on track. The White House has pressed for a crewed return to the Moon as soon as feasible, while also eyeing longer-term missions to Mars.

Artemis II—the first crewed flight around the Moon in more than half a century—has faced multiple delays but is now targeted for April 2026, with an earlier window possible. Senior NASA officials say they intend to hold to that schedule. The mission’s four-person crew includes three Americans and one Canadian.

The move to reopen bidding underscores NASA’s effort to hedge program risk, draw in additional capabilities and quicken development cycles, even as SpaceX continues work on its Starship system.