Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy told agency staff on Sept. 5, 2025, in an internal town hall that the United States will outpace China in returning astronauts to the lunar surface, urging faster innovation while stressing that missions must remain safe.
Key Takeaways
- Sean Duffy, also serving as Transportation Secretary, addressed NASA employees at a Sept. 5, 2025 town hall.
- Duffy urged the agency not to let excessive caution stall progress in the new space race.
- He affirmed a goal for the U.S. to beat China back to the moon while saying the program must be safe and efficient.
- The Artemis program remains the U.S. plan for sustained lunar missions and eventual Mars exploration.
- The Trump administration’s budget proposal would cut roughly $6 billion from NASA — about 24% — and workforce reductions have removed nearly one-fifth of staff.
- Duffy said he believes NASA currently has sufficient funding and personnel for the near term but will request more if needed.
Verified Facts
At the town hall, Duffy warned against “letting safety be the enemy of progress,” arguing NASA must accept some risks to accelerate innovation. He spoke alongside newly named NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya. A NASA spokesperson later reiterated that safety remains a central agency commitment.
The remarks come as China has advanced its lunar capabilities: recent public reports note an uncrewed lunar lander test and a new rocket designed for moon missions. Chinese officials have stated an ambition to land crewed missions by 2030 and discussed plans for a lunar power plant with Russia.
The U.S. faces fiscal pressure. The White House budget blueprint proposed cutting roughly $6 billion from NASA’s budget, a reduction of about 24%. As part of workforce reductions, roughly 4,000 employees accepted deferred resignation offers, shrinking an 18,000-strong agency by nearly one-fifth; separate reporting has said over 2,000 senior staff were set to depart in a later round.
Duffy said he currently believes NASA has adequate resources for the coming years but pledged to press the president, OMB, and Congress for additional funds if necessary.
Context & Impact
NASA’s Artemis program is the centerpiece of U.S. plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface and establish recurring missions that could lead to Mars expeditions. That program’s timeline and scale shape how the agency prioritizes development, testing and partnerships with commercial providers.
Competition is intensifying: multiple countries including China, Russia, India and Japan have announced lunar ambitions. Accelerated timelines increase pressure on program budgets, schedules and safety trade-offs.
- Program risk: Faster schedules can compress testing and raise operational risk.
- Budget trade-offs: Proposed cuts force program managers to balance scope, cost and cadence.
- Workforce losses: Senior departures may affect institutional knowledge and oversight capacity.
Official Statements
“We are going to beat the Chinese to the moon. We are going to make sure that we do this safely. We’re going to do it fast. We’re going to do it right.”
Sean Duffy, Acting NASA Administrator (paraphrased)
NASA has reiterated that safety remains a top priority even as the agency pursues ambitious timelines.
NASA spokesperson
Unconfirmed
- China’s public target to land astronauts by 2030 and the proposed lunar nuclear power plant are official aims but remain subject to technical, budgetary and diplomatic change.
- Duffy’s assessment that current funds and staffing are sufficient is his judgment and may not reflect later budget or schedule shifts.
Bottom Line
Acting Administrator Duffy has framed NASA’s near-term priority as a race to the Moon against growing international competition, pressing for accelerated work without abandoning safety. The agency’s ability to meet those goals will hinge on funding decisions, workforce stability and how risks are managed during a compressed schedule.