New Nasa lunar contest could pit Elon Musk against Jeff Bezos, as US fears China will win race to Moon

New NASA Lunar Contest Could Pit Elon Musk Against Jeff Bezos

The U.S. space agency has reopened the lunar lander contract previously held by SpaceX, introducing new competition for one of NASA’s most important projects. The United States and China are racing to be the first nation to return humans to the Moon in more than fifty years.

Rivalry Between Musk and Bezos

Beyond the geopolitical struggle, there is now a growing rivalry between two major American companies aiming to design the lander that could secure victory for the U.S. in the renewed lunar race. This move may set Elon Musk against his longtime rival Jeff Bezos.

Tensions Within NASA

The decision has already led to public disagreements between Musk and NASA’s acting administrator, Sean Duffy, revealing underlying conflicts over leadership and priorities within the agency.

Background on Artemis III Contract

In April 2021, SpaceX was awarded the contract to develop a lunar landing system for the Artemis III mission—the first American lunar surface return since Apollo 17 in 1972. The planned lander was based on SpaceX’s developing Starship spacecraft, built at the company’s Texas facility.

Progress and Setbacks in Starship Testing

Since April 2023, SpaceX has conducted eleven test flights of Starship. While the August and October 2025 launches were successful, three earlier missions ended in failure of the upper stage, the section designed to carry astronauts.

Rising Pressure as China Advances

As China makes significant progress toward its own crewed Moon mission, pressure has increased on SpaceX to accelerate development and meet NASA’s expectations. Although these milestones remain partly subjective, they are closely watched by international observers.

“On October 20, Sean Duffy announced that he was opening up SpaceX’s US$4 billion lunar contract to new competitors.”

This decision effectively reignites a corporate race between two of the most influential figures in modern aerospace innovation.

Author’s Summary

The renewed NASA competition intensifies both national and corporate rivalries, as Musk and Bezos once again face off for dominance in America’s race back to the Moon.

The Conversation — 2025-11-01