The US space agency plans to return astronauts to the moon under its Artemis program, despite recent comments from President Donald Trump and Elon Musk suggesting a shift in focus towards Mars.
Established in 2017, the Artemis program aims to create a sustainable human presence on the moon and its surroundings. This is seen as a stepping stone for further exploration of the solar system, including Mars.
Despite Trump’s focus on the Red Planet during his recent inaugural address, NASA officials, including acting administrator Janet Petro, have reaffirmed their commitment to lunar missions.
In a recent interview, Petro stated that a network of private space stations in low Earth orbit and “boots on Mars” would be considered defining successes for NASA collaborations with commercial partners 10-20 years from now. However, she also expressed enthusiasm for seeing “many boots on the moon.”
Petro avoided discussing politics during the interview, instead focusing on the importance of using resources efficiently for future space exploration.
The Artemis program is currently under review, and it remains to be seen whether NASA will continue with its lunar plans despite growing pressure from Musk and Trump.
Source: https://www.space.com/the-universe/moon/moon-or-mars-why-not-both-acting-nasa-head-janet-petro-says