NASA plans to send people to the moon in the Artemis III mission. The trip could happen in 2027.
SpaceX is building a huge rocket called Starship for this job, but the rocket is late.
Acting NASA boss Sean Duffy said the agency might drop SpaceX if the delay continues.
NASA also worries that China wants to land astronauts on the moon by 2030.
Starship is the most powerful rocket ever tested. It has flown 11 test flights and has reused boosters.
But several test rockets exploded in 2025. The company still needs to prove that Starship can reach orbit and refuel in space.
Experts say this work may take many more years.
Blue Origin, the company owned by Jeff Bezos, already has a contract for later moon missions. It now offers to change its Blue Moon landers so they can fly earlier.
The plan would use a smaller human lander carried by cargo landers in several launches. It would not need risky cryogenic refueling.
Lockheed Martin suggests a two-stage lander made with spare parts from the Orion spacecraft. The company says this could be faster because the hardware already exists.
Space projects cost a lot. Starship is cheap for NASA because SpaceX pays most of the bill itself.
Other designs may need extra money from Congress. They also need at least five or six years to build and test.
Some experts say starting a new lander now could be too late to help Artemis III.
Many scientists think the true goal is to build a permanent base on the moon, not just to arrive first.
A big rocket like Starship could carry many tons of cargo and help build homes, power stations, and labs on the lunar surface.
Experts say the country that builds lasting infrastructure will lead in space for years to come.