Return to the Moon: NASA Chief Threatens SpaceX with Contract for Competitor

The acting head of NASA has accused Elon Musk's space company SpaceX of being behind schedule in preparations for humanity's return to the Moon and wants to bring in competitors. Sean Duffy explained this in several television interviews on Monday. “We will not wait for a single company,” explained the head of the US space agency, as reported by CNBC. His country wants to return to the Moon during the current term of US President Donald Trump, which lasts until early 2029, and is in a race with China. At the same time, Duffy has now also officially admitted that the manned moon landing in 2027 will no longer be possible. The target is now 2028.

Doubts about the schedule for a long time

NASA decided in 2021 that SpaceX should build the lander for the return to the Moon, NASA decided in 2021, with humans to be brought to the Moon as early as 2024. This schedule was already considered unachievable at the time, and in fact, nothing came of it. SpaceX's Human Landing System (HLS) is to be based on the giant Starship rocket and equipped with two airlocks for moonwalks. Two people are to reach the surface after they and two others have flown to the Moon with the NASA rocket SLS (Space Launch System) and in an Orion capsule. They will have to transfer in orbit. Key elements of this highly complex plan are still untested.

That the officially pursued schedule of NASA for the return to the Moon is unrealistic, a working group of the space agency made public a few weeks ago. The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel had pointed out that the current plan also provides for SpaceX to essentially place a refueling station in Earth orbit to fill the HLS with fuel and oxygen. Realization by 2027 is unrealistic. At the same time, it was also pointed out that NASA has no alternative to SpaceX; no competitor has as much experience in manufacturing spacecraft and engines, with launch preparations and flight operations.

Duffy has now suggested commissioning Blue Origin to rapidly develop a lunar lander. The space company of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is already working on this on behalf of the US space agency, but has much more time. The vehicle is not scheduled to be used until the Artemis 5 mission, currently planned for 2030. It is at least doubtful that the company, which has so far only sent people to the edge of space, can finish significantly faster. According to Ars Technica, the acting NASA chief has also brought other options into play, with established aerospace companies reportedly claiming they can build a lunar lander similar to the one from the Apollo program within 30 months.

Power struggle and NASA leadership

The US magazine, meanwhile, points to possibly entirely different reasons for Duffy's push. He has only been acting head of NASA since the beginning of July, shortly before Donald Trump withdrew the nomination of billionaire Jared Isaacman for the post. He owed his nomination to the support of Elon Musk, who had fallen out of favor with the US president at the time. According to Ars Technica, there is still a lot of support for Isaacman's application, and Trump could apparently be persuaded to nominate him again. However, Duffy does not want to give up his job, so the public pressure on SpaceX should also be understood as a signal to Trump personally that he is vigorously defending his interests.

(mho)