NASA has announced that the removal of language describing the agency’s goal to land the first woman and person of color on the moon from its websites does not indicate a change in crew assignments for its upcoming Artemis 3 mission.
The change occurred after the Trump administration ordered federal agencies to cancel programs focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) efforts. NASA has also been deleting DEIA-related content from its websites as part of this effort.
Despite this, a NASA spokesperson stated that “the change in language does not indicate a change in crew assignments” for the Artemis 3 mission. The agency’s revised website now focuses on scientific discovery, technology advancement, and preparing for human missions to Mars.
The move has been seen as an example of how federal agencies are quickly responding to the Trump administration’s requests to implement changes. NASA has also experienced a significant workforce reduction under the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce federal spending.
However, the extent to which this change may impact astronaut assignments or NASA’s budget and workforce remains unclear. The agency is expected to continue its Artemis program, with plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface in the near future.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/nasa-says-removal-of-first-woman-person-of-color-language-from-artemis-websites-does-not-indicate-moon-mission-crew-change