NASA Acting Chief Rejects Claims China Nears Moon Lead

NASA's acting administrator Sean Duffy, who also serves as the US Secretary of Transportation, strongly rejected recent claims that China will land humans on the Moon before the United States returns via the Artemis Program. Following testimony by former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine that suggested it was unlikely the US would beat China to the lunar surface, Duffy expressed anger and competition, stating, "I'll be damned if that is the story that we write" and committing to beating China to the Moon before President Trump's term ends. In an internal NASA town hall, Duffy emphasized doing the lunar mission safely, quickly, and correctly, while acknowledging that NASA must reduce costs and take some leaps without letting safety become an obstacle to progress. He also appointed Amit Kshatriya as NASA's associate administrator, who vowed to push back against pessimistic views and accelerate Artemis efforts. The agency faces challenges with the cost of launches and the technical complexity of the Artemis architecture, but leadership remains confident in their ability to prevail in the space race against China, which plans to land taikonauts on the Moon before 2030.