NASA's Moon mission faces uncertainty as Trump reforms space policy
What's the story
NASA's Artemis program, which is designed to return humans to the Moon, could be altered or even canceled under the Trump administration.
The speculation comes after the sudden retirement of Jim Free, a longtime associate administrator and staunch Artemis supporter.
Boeing's decision to lay off hundreds of employees from its lunar rocket project has also contributed to the uncertainty surrounding NASA's future plans.
Policy shift
Trump's Mars focus and Musk's influence
President Donald Trump has shown interest in skipping the Moon and heading straight to Mars.
The concept is gaining traction with SpaceX owner Elon Musk emerging as a crucial ally and advisor.
Musk's company is heavily investing in its prototype Starship rocket for future Mars missions.
Further, Trump has appointed private astronaut Jared Isaacman, a close Musk associate who has flown to space twice with SpaceX, as his next NASA chief.
Program changes
Boeing's job cuts and the future of SLS
In a bid to align with Artemis program revisions and cost expectations, Boeing has announced plans to cut 400 jobs from its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket program.
The SLS has only flown once so far - 2022's uncrewed Artemis 1 - and has been criticized for its high costs.
Keith Cowing, a former NASA scientist, suggests the SLS is "likely to fly only one or two missions, or they'll cancel it outright."
Program debate
Debate over Artemis program's future
Despite skepticism about the costly SLS and the Orion crew capsule, many space enthusiasts argue for reform rather than repeal.
Free had previously emphasized the importance of maintaining the Moon as a destination for human spaceflight.
Laura Forczyk, a space policy analyst, warns that skipping lunar missions could eliminate an essential testing ground for technologies needed for safe Mars travel.
Program support
Artemis program's congressional support and job impact
Despite Musk's criticism of Artemis as a "jobs-maximizing program," the initiative has strong congressional backing. It supports tens of thousands of jobs in states like Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida.
Key Republicans such as Senator Ted Cruz are among its supporters.
Forczyk suggests that it's more likely for Artemis to be reformed than scrapped, with private companies potentially taking over after one or two SLS flights.