SpaceX founder Elon Musk is locked in a heated public dispute with U.S. Transportation Secretary and acting NASA head Sean Duffy over the future of America’s next moon-landing mission.
The tension erupted after Duffy announced that NASA would re-open competition for the Artemis III lunar-lander contract — a move that could allow other aerospace companies to challenge SpaceX’s leading position. Speaking to reporters, Duffy said the agency was seeking “greater accountability and faster results” amid schedule delays.
Musk, never one to hold back, responded sharply on his platform X, calling Duffy “Sean Dummy” and accusing him of undermining American innovation. The post quickly went viral, drawing both laughter and concern across social media.
According to Reuters and Politico, NASA officials have expressed frustration over SpaceX’s development timeline for its Starship system, the spacecraft intended to return astronauts to the lunar surface. Duffy framed the contract review as part of a broader effort to “keep America’s space program competitive and transparent.”
Industry analysts say the exchange marks one of the most public confrontations between the government and a major private-sector space contractor in years. The outcome could shape not only NASA’s 2026 Artemis III mission but also the future relationship between federal agencies and commercial space ventures.
Musk has not issued a formal statement beyond his social-media comments, but insiders expect SpaceX to continue work on Starship testing in Texas as NASA reviews its options.
For now, one thing is clear: the race to the Moon — and the power struggle behind it — is heating up once again.
Sources: Reuters, Politico, Business Insider, The Guardian
