By Digital Spartans 
Tensions have escalated between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and NASA’s acting administrator Sean Duffy after the space agency announced it would invite new companies to compete in its program to return humans to the Moon.
Musk lashed out on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, calling out Duffy directly after the NASA chief said that the agency was “seeking new bids” due to delays in SpaceX’s Starship development.
“Sean Dummy is trying to kill NASA!” Musk wrote in a post, referring to the administrator who also serves as the US Secretary of Transportation.
The exchange followed Duffy’s comments on Fox News, where he expressed concern about setbacks in SpaceX’s timeline and emphasized the urgency of staying ahead of China’s lunar ambitions.
“I love SpaceX. It’s an amazing company. The problem is, they’re behind,” Duffy said. “They’ve pushed their timelines out, and we’re in a race against China.”
NASA Seeks Backup Options Amid Starship Delays
NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon for the first time in over five decades, is facing multiple schedule adjustments. Originally set for 2025, the Artemis 3 mission is now tentatively planned for mid-2027, pending Starship’s readiness.
SpaceX’s Starship rocket — central to NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS) — must still undergo several successful test flights and meet safety certifications before it can be cleared for the mission.
Citing these delays, Duffy said NASA would open the door for new commercial partners to bid for participation. He specifically mentioned Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin as one of the potential competitors, alongside other aerospace firms.
“We’re in a race against China, so we need the best companies to operate at a speed that gets us to the Moon first,” Duffy posted later on X.
Musk Defends SpaceX’s Progress
In response, Musk defended SpaceX’s record, saying the company was operating “like lightning compared to the rest of the space industry.”
“Starship will end up doing the whole Moon mission. Mark my words,” Musk wrote.
SpaceX has conducted multiple Starship test flights, showing incremental progress in performance and recovery systems. The company remains a crucial partner in NASA’s lunar and Mars exploration plans despite ongoing technical and regulatory challenges.
Leadership Uncertainty Adds to NASA’s Strain
The dispute comes at a politically sensitive time for NASA, which is still without a permanent administrator. Former President Donald Trump had nominated Jared Isaacman, a Musk ally and SpaceX astronaut, for the position earlier this year. However, the White House unexpectedly withdrew his nomination in May following tensions between Trump and Musk.
Reports suggest that Isaacman remains under consideration for the role, while Duffy is reportedly lobbying to retain his acting administrator status.
The leadership question adds another layer of complexity to NASA’s Artemis timeline, which already faces mounting pressure as China accelerates its own lunar program, aiming for a crewed Moon landing by 2030.
As the geopolitical and technological competition intensifies, the relationship between NASA and its most prominent contractor — SpaceX — may prove pivotal in determining who reaches the Moon first.