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NASA’s acting administrator has publicly acknowledged SpaceX’s Starship delays and is opening lunar lander contracts to new competitors. The announcement comes amid a behind-the-scenes power struggle for permanent NASA leadership as the 2027 Moon landing timeline appears increasingly unrealistic.

NASA Rethinks Moon Strategy Amid SpaceX Delays

NASA’s acting administrator Sean Duffy has dramatically altered the space agency’s lunar return strategy, according to reports from his Monday television appearances. Sources indicate Duffy publicly acknowledged that SpaceX has fallen behind schedule developing its Starship lunar lander and that NASA’s 2027 target for a crewed Moon landing is no longer achievable. The acting chief announced plans to expand competition for human landing system development, stating “I’m in the process of opening that contract up” to include additional companies.