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

Verified

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 lunar landing system (HLS), previously awarded to SpaceX, due to concerns that Starship's development may not meet the mid-2027 target for the mission.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized the urgency of the decision, citing a "race against China" and the goal to land astronauts on the moon within President Trump's current term (by January 2029).
This move opens competition for the HLS contract to other companies, such as Blue Origin, as NASA is committed to swiftly achieving a lunar landing and will not wait for a single provider.
SpaceX's Starship HLS still needs to achieve critical milestones, including demonstrating orbital propellant transfer and an uncrewed lunar landing, before it can be certified for human missions.

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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.