SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Criticizes NASA Acting Administrator Amid Artemis Moon Mission Tensions

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has publicly clashed with NASA's acting administrator and US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over delays in the Artemis III lunar mission, which aims to land humans on the Moon by mid-2027. Duffy criticized SpaceX for pushing back timelines amid a competitive space race with China and announced opening the Human Landing System contract to other companies, including Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin. Musk responded harshly, calling Duffy "Sean Dummy" and accusing him of trying to "kill NASA," while defending SpaceX's progress and asserting that Starship will complete the Moon mission. The dispute escalated with Musk posting a controversial meme and further insults on social media. NASA is currently without a permanent leader after President Trump's previous nominee was withdrawn, adding uncertainty to the agency's future direction. Both sides emphasize the urgency of competing against China's lunar ambitions, underscoring intensifying tensions in US space policy and commercial partnerships.