SpaceX makes case for why it will land American astronauts on the Moon

Less than two weeks after acting NASA Administrator and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy publicly announced that he plans to "open up the contract" for getting American astronauts back to the surface of the Moon, SpaceX is making a case for why they should lead the way. In a blog post released on Thursday, titled "To the Moon and Beyond," SpaceX writes that "Humanity is at an inflection point. For the first time in our existence, we possess the means, technology, and, for the moment, the will to establish a permanent human presence beyond Earth.” Unlike the Apollo program, which focused on planting a flag on the Moon, SpaceX writes that the next-generation Artemis Moon missions -- the Artemis III and IV contracts -- are about laying the foundation for building a permanent settlement.