SpaceX and Blue Origin Accelerate Lunar Timelines Amid NASA Pressure
NASA is reviewing expedited lunar mission proposals from SpaceX and Blue Origin as the U.S. races to counter China's growing space ambitions. A newly formed expert committee will evaluate the fastest path to secure American dominance in the second lunar race.
The agency now targets a moon landing before 2028, potentially within President Trump's current term. This urgency follows public criticism from NASA's acting chief Sean Duffy, who cited SpaceX's repeated Starship test failures and threatened to reallocate its $4 billion contract to competitors like Blue Origin.
SpaceX has responded with a simplified mission architecture outlined in an October 30 technical blog post. The company claims its new operational concept could safely return humans to the lunar surface ahead of schedule, though NASA remains skeptical about meeting Artemis II's 2024 test flight deadline.
