Duffy: NASA to Reopen Artemis III HLS Contract

Space agency is ‘not going to wait’ for SpaceX’s Starship HLS if a competitor is ready first, official says.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

U.S. Transportation Secretary and interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy delivers remarks during a press conference at Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) on October 6. [Courtesy: C-SPAN]

Key Takeaways:

NASA is reopening the contract for the Artemis III human landing system (HLS) due to concerns about SpaceX's Starship HLS readiness and timeline.
The decision, announced by interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, aims to accelerate the U.S. return to the Moon by the end of President Trump's second term, driven by a perceived "race against China."
This move opens the door for competitors like Blue Origin to potentially secure the HLS contract if they can deliver the system faster, despite SpaceX having already received 65% of its original contract value.

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U.S. Transportation Secretary and interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy on Monday revealed a potentially seismic shakeup to the agency’s Artemis lunar landing program.

During an interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen on Squawk Box Monday morning, Duffy said NASA will reopen a contract to build the human landing system (HLS) for the Artemis III mission, which will put American astronauts on the moon for the first time since the Apollo era.