NASA Considers Replacing SpaceX on Artemis Moon Mission as Starship Delays Mount

Published On: December 13, 2025

NASA’s long-awaited return to the Moon is facing major turbulence—not because of international threats or budget cuts, but because SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, is falling behind. The pressure is on, and the countdown to Artemis III is ticking.

With China charging ahead in its own lunar ambitions, NASA may no longer be willing to wait for SpaceX to get its Starship ready. In fact, they’re eyeing a replacement—and it could be Jeff Bezos.

Table of Contents

Delays

Starship is central to the Artemis III mission—the first crewed lunar landing in over 50 years. But despite the hype and innovation, the rocket’s development isn’t keeping pace. Scheduled for 2027, the mission now looks increasingly at risk. NASA’s patience is running thin, and acting administrator Sean Duffy has made it clear: delays are not acceptable.

“We are in a race, and we can’t afford delays,” he warned, pointing directly to China’s own lunar program that aims to land humans on the Moon before the decade ends.

Scrutiny

SpaceX has been under intense observation. Despite having a $2.9 billion contract, NASA is not seeing the progress it expected. While Starship may be the most powerful rocket ever built, its complexity is proving to be its biggest weakness.

Test flights have had issues. Technical hurdles are piling up. And timelines? Let’s just say they’re slipping.

This is not just another launch—it’s a historic one. Artemis III will carry the first woman and the first Black astronaut to the Moon. The whole world is watching, and NASA can’t afford a misstep.

Competition

While SpaceX struggles, another space giant is quietly gaining ground: Blue Origin. Led by Jeff Bezos and working in partnership with Lockheed Martin, the company’s Blue Moon lander is showing steady, if slow, progress.

In contrast to Musk’s dramatic public style, Bezos’s team is working behind the scenes, avoiding headlines but hitting milestones. And NASA is noticing.

In fact, the agency has officially requested updated plans from both companies by the end of the month—and they’re not ruling out opening the opportunity to other American firms as well.

Prestige

This isn’t just about rockets and astronauts. It’s about global reputation, leadership, and historical legacy.

The contract is worth nearly $3 billion, but the symbolic value is much greater. Whoever leads Artemis III will shape the narrative of who controls the future of space exploration.

If SpaceX can’t deliver, it risks losing more than a contract—it risks losing trust, influence, and its crown as the top name in private space innovation.

And let’s be real—Musk has dominated the spotlight for years. But the quiet, steady rise of Bezos in this arena shows that the Moon race is no longer a one-man show.

Artemis

Artemis III is about more than returning to the Moon. It’s about representation, innovation, and leadership.

The mission aims to put the first woman and the first Black person on the lunar surface. It’s a defining moment for equality in space. But that only happens if the lander works. And with the current Starship delays, that outcome is far from certain.

NASA wants a tested, reliable lunar lander before 2027. Right now, that’s a big question mark for SpaceX.

Politics

Behind all the tech and science is an uncomfortable truth: this race is as political as it is technological.

China is accelerating its space program. If it reaches the Moon before the U.S., it could shift the balance of space power for decades. It’s not just about planting a flag—it’s about setting the rules for the next era of lunar exploration and beyond.

That’s why NASA is not just worried—it’s urgent.