Elon Musk has made his critical stance regarding NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy abundantly clear.

The founder and CEO of SpaceX has significantly escalated his social media critiques against Duffy over recent days. In a series of posts, the executive initially labeled him “Sean Dummy,” a moniker he later updated to “Sean ‘Dangerously Stupid’ Dummy.” A central point of these attacks is the assertion that Duffy’s actions are an attempt to “kill NASA.”

On X, Elon Musk recently posed a provocative poll question, querying whether an individual whose primary renown stems from arboreal athletics is fit to oversee the nation’s space initiatives. This pointed inquiry alluded to Duffy’s earlier career in timber sports, a field in which he garnered two world speed-climbing championships before his thirtieth birthday.

The recent developments surrounding the Artemis 3 moon-landing contract were hardly a surprise. They stem directly from NASA Administrator Duffy’s announcement that the agency will reopen competition for the pivotal lunar lander agreement, which SpaceX initially secured in April 2021.

SpaceX’s original proposal for the mission involved deploying a specially adapted upper stage of its formidable Starship megarocket. This ambitious endeavor aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972.

Under the current operational blueprint, Artemis 3 astronauts are slated to launch aboard NASA’s powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. They would then travel in an Orion capsule to lunar orbit, where they are scheduled to rendezvous with the Starship vehicle for the final descent to the lunar surface.

Duffy, however, has expressed apprehension regarding Starship’s readiness to meet NASA’s ambitious timeline for the Artemis III mission, which is currently targeting a 2028 launch.

During an appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Monday, Oct. 20, Duffy expressed his admiration for SpaceX, hailing it as an “amazing company.” However, he swiftly raised concerns about the aerospace firm’s operational pace, noting that “they’ve pushed their timelines out.” Duffy underscored the broader implications of these delays, asserting that the situation places the nation in a critical “race against China.”

An official has announced a strategic shift to accelerate the timeline for a lunar return, targeting a Moon landing within the current presidential administration’s term. To achieve this objective, contracts for space missions will be opened to foster broader competition among private aerospace companies. This move is designed to allow firms such as Blue Origin to compete for these missions, which have largely been dominated by SpaceX, reflecting a shared ambition with the president.

Responding with apparent displeasure, Elon Musk retorted by highlighting Blue Origin’s lack of “useful payload” deliveries to Earth orbit – a feat SpaceX has accomplished hundreds of times. He then offered a confident forecast, asserting that SpaceX operates with exceptional speed compared to its rivals in the space industry. Furthermore, Musk unequivocally stated that his Starship system would ultimately handle the entirety of the moon mission, adding, “Mark my words.”

Beyond more direct engagement, Musk also adopted a less conventional approach, sharing a meme on X that directly questioned Duffy with the phrase, “why he is ‘gae.'”

Elon Musk’s disagreements with Duffy reportedly go deeper than the issues surrounding the Artemis 3 contract. For an extended period, the SpaceX CEO has advocated for fellow billionaire and private astronaut Jared Isaacman to become NASA administrator. Isaacman was reportedly on the verge of securing this prominent position until President Trump abruptly withdrew his nomination on May 31, halting the appointment.

Though initially nominated by then-President Trump, Isaacman’s candidacy was unexpectedly rescinded at a late juncture. The decision reportedly stemmed from concerns over the tech entrepreneur’s history of donations to Democratic politicians and his alleged close ties to Elon Musk. This sudden change resulted in Duffy stepping in to lead the agency in an acting capacity.

In a surprising turn of events, Isaacman has reportedly re-entered the pool of candidates vying for NASA’s top leadership position. However, the current occupant, Duffy, is said to be firmly intent on retaining the role. These developments have been highlighted by reports from both The Wall Street Journal and Ars Technica.

Reports from various outlets suggest that Duffy may be planning to integrate NASA into the Department of Transportation, an agency that he, a former lumberjack and reality television personality, currently heads.

Elon Musk has emphatically weighed in on a critical assessment of a contentious issue, signaling his complete agreement with a “100” emoji in response to a post by AstroForge CEO Matt Gialich.

Gialich’s original statement pulled no punches, declaring that the unidentified development was unequivocally unwelcome. “No one wants this to happen,” Gialich wrote, further warning that such an event “would mark the beginning of the end for our nation’s dominance in space” – a dire prediction that Musk evidently champions.

In a social media post on October 22, Elon Musk escalated his pointed criticism of Duffy, asserting that a NASA Administrator demonstrating an utter unfamiliarity with rockets and spacecraft not only compromises the American space program but also places astronauts at risk.

Jared Isaacman, notable for independently funding, organizing, and commanding two private orbital missions using SpaceX rockets and capsules, has served as an unspoken point of comparison in recent discussions. However, Elon Musk subsequently clarified his position in a separate post on X, distancing himself from such direct parallels. Musk stated he was “not advocating any particular candidate for NASA Administrator,” but rather voiced a broader desire for a leader possessing “a 3 digit IQ,” underscoring his fervent call for highly intelligent stewardship.

Mounting speculation surrounds the future leadership of NASA. Should former President Trump secure another term, attention will undoubtedly turn to the potential re-evaluation of Isaacman’s previous nomination and the permanent confirmation of Duffy in his key leadership role. Further adding to the intrigue is how figures like Elon Musk might respond to such executive decisions. These potential shifts promise a period of notable political interplay and significant change for the nation’s space endeavors.

This report was updated on October 22 at 3:28 p.m. ET, integrating a recent post from Elon Musk on the X platform. The tech magnate’s statement notably included the remark: “I am just desperate for someone with a 3 digit IQ.”