New Delhi, Oct. 21 -- Transportation Secretary and acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy said on Monday (October 20) that SpaceX is falling behind schedule in the US plan to return astronauts to the Moon under the Artemis program.

Duff, speaking to CNBC, said the government would open the lunar contract to other companies to ensure the US maintains its lead in what he described as a "second space race" with China.

"We're not going to wait for one company," Duffy said. "We're going to push this forward and win the second space race against the Chinese. Get back to the moon, set up a camp, a base."

Duffy said SpaceX, which holds the Artemis III lunar landing contract, has pushed back its project timelines, prompting concerns about delays....