New Nasa lunar contest could pit Elon Musk against Jeff Bezos, as US fears China will win race to Moon

New NASA Lunar Contest Could Spark Rivalry Between Musk and Bezos

The US space agency has reopened competition for the lunar lander contract previously held by SpaceX. The race to send humans back to the Moon after half a century involves not only nations but now a rivalry between American companies aiming to build the winning landing vehicle.

US vs China Lunar Race

The United States and China are engaged in a high-stakes contest to be the first to land humans on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Amid this geopolitical race, new tensions have emerged within the US space industry.

American Billionaires Compete for Lunar Mission

Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s ventures are set to face off in securing the lunar lander contract. This competition reflects broader concerns about leadership and the future direction of NASA.

"In April 2021 Musk’s company, SpaceX, was awarded the contract to develop the landing vehicle for NASA’s Artemis III mission – the first return to the lunar surface by Americans since Apollo 17 in 1972."

The lander will be based on SpaceX’s innovative Starship, a vehicle still in development at their Texas facility. Since April 2023, SpaceX has flown 11 Starship test flights. While the launches in August and October 2025 succeeded, three prior flights failed during the critical upper stage, which is designed to carry astronauts.

Increasing Pressure on SpaceX

With China’s advancing lunar ambitions, the urgency for SpaceX to demonstrate steady progress is intensifying. However, the criteria for these milestones remain somewhat subjective.

"On October 20, Sean Duffy announced that he was opening up SpaceX’s US$4 billion contract to competition."

Conflict Within NASA Leadership

The announcement sparked a verbal clash between Musk and NASA’s acting chief Sean Duffy, revealing deeper disagreements over NASA’s leadership and strategy.

Implications for the Future

This evolving contest highlights not only international rivalry but also internal struggles that could shape the direction of American lunar exploration.

"The dust-up over the lunar lander could pit Elon Musk against his billionaire rival Jeff Bezos."

NASA’s decision introduces fresh uncertainty into the Artemis program’s timeline but could foster innovation through competition.

Author’s summary: The reopening of NASA’s lunar lander contract intensifies competition between American companies amid the US-China Moon race, exposing strategic conflicts and potential shifts in future lunar missions.

The Conversation — 2025-11-01