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 announced it will reopen the contract for the Artemis III human lunar landing system (HLS), expressing concerns that current contractor SpaceX's Starship HLS is behind schedule.
This decision aims to accelerate the timeline for landing astronauts on the moon within President Trump's second term, opening the competition to other companies like Blue Origin.
The urgency is driven by a desire to win a "second space race" against China, establish a lunar base, and prioritize human exploration as a stepping stone for future Mars 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.