Two former government officials, Scott Pace and Dan Dumbacher, offered differing views on how to change NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration campaign during a recent House Science Committee hearing. Despite their disagreements, both experts agreed that returning humans to the moon is a necessary step towards future missions to Mars.
Pace, former executive secretary of the National Space Council, called for an early “off-ramp” from reliance on the Space Launch System (SLS), citing its high cost and lack of reusability. He suggested alternatives such as buying heavy-lift launches as a service to reduce costs and increase sustainability. Pace emphasized the need for reusable elements and in-space resources to make human space exploration more efficient.
In contrast, Dumbacher, former deputy associate administrator for exploration at NASA, questioned the feasibility of SpaceX’s Starship landing humans on the moon by the end of the decade. He estimated that 40 launches would be needed to demonstrate the capability, citing China’s ambitious plans to land its astronauts on the moon before 2030.
Despite their differences, both experts agreed that a return to the moon is crucial for future missions to Mars. Pace stated that the Artemis campaign plan should be revised to ensure sustainability and affordability, while Dumbacher recommended rapid development of a smaller, more efficient lander.
The hearing was also attended by committee members who emphasized the importance of returning humans to the moon in response to China’s growing presence in space. Reps. Mike Haridopolos and Valerie Foushee highlighted the need for the US to win the “race to the moon” and protect its national interests.
Source: https://spacenews.com/house-hearing-debates-ways-to-improve-artemis