Why Elon Musk is angry with Nasa chief Sean Duffy, who 'can't have a 2-digit IQ'

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has publicly criticised acting Nasa administrator Sean Duffy after Duffy said SpaceX is “behind schedule” on its lunar landing system for Nasa’s Artemis III mission. Duffy made the comments during an interview on Fox & Friends, highlighting the possibility of involving competitors such as Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin to ensure the US returns to the Moon first. Musk responded with a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, calling Duffy “Sean Dummy” and questioning his suitability to lead America’s space program.

Duffy had also praised SpaceX as an “amazing company” achieving “remarkable things” but stressed that introducing competition could spur innovation. He noted the US aim to beat China back to the Moon and described a potential space race among American companies as beneficial to Nasa’s goals.

Nasa’s Artemis mission

Nasa launched its first Artemis mission in November 2022, with astronauted missions initially delayed. The first crewed launch is now scheduled for April 2026, while Artemis III, which will land two astronauts on the Moon, is planned for 2027.

A Nasa official confirmed that SpaceX and Blue Origin have until October 29 to propose measures to accelerate the project. The agency is also seeking industry suggestions on how to “increase the cadence” of Moon missions. Duffy’s comments indicate that Nasa is exploring ways to maintain momentum and ensure Artemis III meets its objectives.