New NASA Lunar Contest Could Pit Elon Musk Against Jeff Bezos
The US space agency has reopened the lunar lander contract once held by SpaceX to allow other companies to compete. This decision adds a new layer to the ongoing rivalry between the United States and China as both nations strive to return humans to the Moon for the first time in over fifty years.
The fresh competition could also intensify the personal and corporate rivalry between Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. The debate over who will build the next lunar lander has already sparked a sharp exchange between Musk and NASA’s acting chief, Sean Duffy, revealing tensions over the agency’s direction and leadership.
From Starship to Artemis III
In April 2021, NASA awarded SpaceX a contract to design and build the lander for the Artemis III mission—the first U.S. lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. The lander concept is based on SpaceX’s Starship vehicle, under steady development at the company’s south Texas facility.
Since April 2023, SpaceX has conducted eleven Starship test flights. Though the August and October 2025 launches succeeded, three earlier missions failed when the upper stage—known as the “ship”—suffered malfunctions.
Mounting Pressure and Competition
As China advances its own Moon program, U.S. officials have placed increasing pressure on SpaceX to deliver faster progress. Critics argue that achievements so far have been mixed, depending on how success is measured. On October 20, Sean Duffy announced that NASA would reopen the $4 billion contract to competition, inviting other U.S. aerospace firms to submit proposals.
“We need the best possible systems to ensure American leadership on the lunar surface,” said NASA acting chief Sean Duffy.
The decision reshapes the direction of NASA’s Artemis program and highlights the renewed space rivalry not just among nations, but also between two of America’s most influential entrepreneurs.
Author’s Summary
The renewed NASA lunar contract revives competition between Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, intensifying both national and corporate rivalries in the modern race to the Moon.