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

New NASA Lunar Lander Competition Sparks Rivalry Between Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos

The US space agency has opened the lunar lander contract, previously held by SpaceX, to new competitors. The United States and China are racing to become the first nation in 50 years to land humans on the Moon.

Amid this race, a rivalry is emerging between American companies vying to build the lunar landing vehicle that could secure victory for the US. This dispute could see Elon Musk face off against billionaire Jeff Bezos.

Conflict Between SpaceX and NASA Leadership

Tensions have already flared between Musk and NASA’s acting chief, Sean Duffy, highlighting disagreements about the agency’s direction and management.

Background on the SpaceX Contract

In April 2021, SpaceX won the contract to build the lunar lander for NASA’s Artemis III mission.
This mission will be the first American crewed Moon landing since Apollo 17 in 1972.
The lunar lander design is based on SpaceX’s Starship vehicle, developed in south Texas.

Starship Testing Progress

Since April 2023, SpaceX has conducted 11 Starship test flights. While the launches in August and October 2025 succeeded, the three prior flights failed during the upper stage— the part intended to carry astronauts.

With China aggressively advancing its Moon program, NASA has increased pressure on SpaceX to advance faster, though milestones remain somewhat subjective.

Recent Developments

“On October 20, Sean Duffy announced that he was opening up SpaceX’s US$4 billion lunar lander contract to other competitors.”

This move indicates the agency’s intent to encourage competition and ensure the US maintains leadership in lunar exploration.

Author’s Summary

The reopening of NASA’s lunar lander contract marks a critical moment, pitting leading space entrepreneurs in a high-stakes race amid US-China lunar competition.

The Conversation — 2025-11-01