Elon Musk's SpaceX on Thursday said it proposed to NASA a simplified plan to send humans to the moon using its Starship rocket, as the agency presses its contractors to move more quickly toward beating China to the lunar surface this decade.

Former Real World cast member and current Transportation Secretary / acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy recently said SpaceX was “behind” on its contract for Artemis III and proposed reopening it. (Elon Musk responded with a predictable slew of insults.

Many NASA contractors and federal civil servants are not being paid during the ongoing government shutdown, which could lead to delays.

Despite the ongoing government shutdown, NASA did manage to complete a major milestone in its effort to send astronauts back to the moon.

SpaceX's next mission to the moon, and the next launch of its triple-booster Falcon Heavy rocket, has slipped to no earlier than July 2026.