NASA is back on the drawing board for its next moon buggy. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy announced that the agency will reopen bids for its Human Landing System (HLS) contract after SpaceX fell behind schedule on the Artemis III moon mission. 🚀
Duffy posted on X that while SpaceX still holds the HLS contract to land U.S. astronauts on Artemis III, "competition and innovation" are vital, so NASA is inviting fresh proposals from Blue Origin and other American companies. The HLS will ferry crews from lunar orbit to the surface, where they'll collect samples, run experiments, and soak in the moon vibes before heading back home.
The timing is tight: President Donald Trump is eager to see humans touching down on the lunar south pole before his term ends in January 2029. Duffy noted that SpaceX "does remarkable things, but is behind schedule", prompting NASA to keep options open.
Meanwhile, work is cruising ahead for Artemis II. NASA recently attached the Orion spacecraft, nicknamed Integrity, to the Space Launch System rocket, marking a major milestone. That uncrewed demo is set for April 2026, with Artemis III aiming for mid-2027.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk chimed in on X, writing that his team is "moving like lightning compared to the rest of the space industry" and believes Starship will carry out the full moon mission. 🌕✨
Reference(s):
NASA to reopen lunar lander contract as SpaceX falls behind schedule
cgtn.com
