Trump's Space Policy Shifts Focus to the Moon, Crewed Mars Mission Will Have to Wait

AFP, Washington, 18th. U.S. President Trump issued an executive order today, hoping to send astronauts back to the moon as soon as possible and temporarily set aside the goal of crewed lunar landing on Mars. The shift in U.S. space policy towards the moon symbolizes a change in Trump's position.

Trump's executive order officially established that humans will return to the moon before 2028. This moon landing will "demonstrate America's leadership in space, lay the foundation for the economic development of the moon, prepare for a journey to Mars, and inspire the next generation of American explorers."

The executive order also mentions that NASA will establish the "initial elements of a permanent lunar outpost" by 2030 and formally plan to deploy nuclear reactors on the moon and in orbit.

When Trump returned to the White House in January this year, he stated his hope to plant the American flag on Mars within his four-year term, without mentioning any lunar landing plans at the time. This statement once caused public doubts about the direction of the government's space policy, even leading to concerns that NASA might skip the moon altogether.

Although Washington has long declared its intention to be the first country to send humans to Mars, it now seems that this goal is becoming more distant.

In June this year, Trump had a public dispute with Elon Musk, who advocates for Mars exploration missions, and other pressing geopolitical issues may have prompted Trump to adjust his space plan.

The United States is currently scheduled to carry out the "Artemis 3" mission in mid-2027 to return to the moon's surface, but the schedule has been repeatedly delayed. Aerospace industry experts say that due to the fact that the lunar lander developed by SpaceX, Musk's company, is not yet ready, the progress may be delayed again.

Trump's executive order also puts greater pressure on NASA and the private space industry to accelerate achieving the government's goals. The United States hopes to stay ahead of China, whose Beijing administration also plans to send astronauts to the moon by 2030 and establish a base.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1851961762708489/

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