NASA Chief Overhauls Moon Landing Strategy
▼ Summary
– NASA acting administrator Sean Duffy announced SpaceX is behind schedule in developing the Starship lunar lander, prompting a revision of NASA’s moon landing plans.
– Duffy publicly acknowledged that NASA’s 2027 target for a crewed lunar landing is no longer achievable and intends to expand competition for a human-rated lander.
– The decision to open up the lander contract aims to foster a space race among American companies, with Blue Origin and others potentially competing to reach the moon first.
– SpaceX and Blue Origin hold existing NASA contracts for lunar landers but face technical challenges, such as large-scale in-space refueling, which has never been accomplished.
– Blue Origin is developing an alternative plan using multiple Mk 1 landers, which avoids in-space refueling and is set for its debut flight early next year.
NASA’s acting administrator, Sean Duffy, has announced a significant shift in the agency’s approach to returning astronauts to the Moon, signaling a new phase in the lunar exploration program. During televised interviews on Monday, Duffy confirmed that SpaceX has experienced delays with its Starship lunar lander development, and he openly acknowledged that NASA’s previous goal of a 2027 crewed Moon landing is no longer feasible. In response, Duffy stated he plans to broaden the competition for a human-rated lunar lander, emphasizing the urgency of outpacing China in the renewed space race.
Duffy explained, “They’re behind schedule, and the president is determined to reach the Moon during his term. That’s why I’m opening up the contract, we expect companies like Blue Origin and possibly others to step in. This will be an American competition to see which company can lead the return to the lunar surface.” This marks the first public admission by a senior NASA leader that the 2027 timeline is unworkable, and the timing of Duffy’s announcement appears calculated to influence ongoing internal debates about NASA’s leadership direction.
The move to “open that contract up” refers to SpaceX’s $2.9 billion award from April 2021, which tasked the company with adapting Starship into a human landing system. This vehicle was intended to work alongside NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft to transport crews between Earth and the Moon. In 2023, Blue Origin secured a separate $3.4 billion contract to develop an additional lander.
SpaceX’s progress has indeed been slower than planned, with several major technical challenges remaining. Both SpaceX and Blue Origin are working on reusable landers that require in-orbit refueling, a complex procedure not yet demonstrated at the necessary scale. When Duffy mentioned involving “companies like Blue,” he was likely alluding to a new Blue Origin proposal using multiple Mk 1 landers, a smaller design initially created for cargo. This alternative architecture, which Ars detailed several weeks ago, would avoid the need for orbital refueling. The Mk 1 lander is scheduled for its first test flight early next year, offering a potentially faster path to the Moon.
(Source: Wired)
