The US space agency (Nasa) will reactivate tenders for its missions to the Moon after delays by SpaceX, the company of billionaire Elon Musk, former close advisor to Donald Trump, its administrator and Minister of Transportation, Sean Duffy, announced on Monday. “We are going to have a space race in the sense of a competition between American companies to see who can take us to the Moon first,” he said on Fox News. I am in the process of launching this contract. I think companies like Blue, and maybe others, will participate.”
Rival of SpaceX, Blue Origin is the space company of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. He is currently in charge of the fifth mission of the ambitious Artemis program. This program was started during his first term by Donald Trump, who wants NASA to return to the Moon as quickly as possible and also go to Mars. “I love SpaceX. They’re an amazing company. The problem is they’re late. They pushed back their deadlines and we’re competing with China,” said Sean Duffy.
Artémis 2 postponed until early 2026, Artémis 3 planned for mid-2027
Pressure on NASA has increased in recent months with Donald Trump’s return to the White House. “We need the best companies to advance at a pace that takes us to the Moon first,” insisted Sean Duffy on the social network X.
Multiple setbacks have delayed the manned Artemis 2 mission, which was intended to send astronauts to the Moon, without landing there. Postponed several times in recent years, it is now scheduled for early 2026, no later than April, NASA reaffirmed last month.
The crew, made up of three American astronauts and one Canadian, will be the first to travel around the Earth’s natural satellite in more than 50 years. The Artemis 3 mission, which provides for the return of Americans to the lunar surface, is currently planned for mid-2027.
Source: BFM TV
