SpaceX's Falcon Heavy has launched 11 times, all successfully, and is based on the Falcon 9 rocket rated to ferry people into orbit. NASA already certified Falcon Heavy to launch its most expensive robotic missions, such as the Europa Clipper mission, which launched last month.

NASA’s return to the moon has been plagued by delays and spiraling costs, which means it could now fall to privateer firms like SpaceX to take us back to the surface of the moon. If the Elon Musk-backed company is given NASA’s contract to fly to the moon,