NASA Opens Competition for Artemis III Lunar Lander

Date:
Tue, 21 Oct 2025 15:30:00 +0000

Description:
NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy revealed that the agency is reopening
the contract for the The post NASA Opens Competition for Artemis III Lunar Lander appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .

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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 SpaceXs Starship.

The move aims to accelerate the Artemis III mission and ensure American astronauts return to the Moons surface before Chinas planned landing by 2030, amid concerns over SpaceXs 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.

Were opening this up to Blue Origin and maybe others to foster competition
and get us back to the Moon before the end of President Trumps term in
January 2029.

The decision marks a significant shift in NASAs Artemis program, which seeks to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon. Artemis III, the programs flagship crewed landing mission, was originally slated to use
SpaceXs 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.

NASAs strategy has evolved over the years. In 2023, the agency selected Blue Origins Blue Moon Mark 2 lander for Artemis V, scheduled no earlier than
2030, as a secondary option to promote redundancysimilar to the Commercial Crew Programs approach with multiple providers. Artemis IV also relies on Starship, but Duffys 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 landerwhich requires orbital refueling like Starshipbut 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 NASAs 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 Duffys reveal.

The news quickly drew sharp reactions from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who took to
X to defend his companys 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 wont [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. NASAs
budget constraints have long been a challenge for the Artemis program, and this pivot could require additional congressional approval amid ongoing
fiscal debates.

Chinas Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), also known as the Change 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 Moons near
and far sides, as well as preparations for crewed landings by 2030.

(Lead image: NASA HLS Credit: NASA)



The post NASA Opens Competition for Artemis III Lunar Lander appeared first
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Link to news story: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/10/nasa-competition-artemis-iii-lunar-lan der/


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