With a second Trump administration potentially on the horizon, Elon Musk’s ambitious vision to send humans to Mars might become a top national priority, sources suggest. This shift in space policy could bring significant changes to NASA’s Artemis program, which, under current plans, uses SpaceX’s Starship rocket to return astronauts to the Moon.
However, under Trump, Artemis could pivot toward Mars, with plans for uncrewed missions to the Red Planet this decade, according to insiders familiar with Trump’s evolving space policy agenda.
Renewed Focus On Mars Over the Moon
While Artemis has focused on the Moon as a stepping stone for human exploration, Musk and Trump’s vision align on pushing beyond lunar missions to target Mars directly. This approach, while more challenging and costly, represents an aspirational shift in the U.S. space program’s objectives. A more Mars-focused strategy could advance SpaceX’s Starship development, as the reusable rocket would be instrumental for Mars missions.
SpaceX’s founder, Musk, is a vocal advocate for Mars colonization, a sentiment he underscored at a Trump rally in October while sporting an “Occupy Mars” shirt. His support for Trump has been strategic; Musk reportedly spent $119 million on Trump’s campaign and has positioned space exploration as a priority in Trump’s transitional policies. According to space policy expert Doug Loverro, Trump’s potential return to the White House could bring “a more realistic Mars plan,” positioning Mars as a clear objective.
Deregulation And Private Sector Empowerment
A Trump administration would likely champion Musk’s goals for regulatory reform, especially within space policy. Musk has often criticized regulatory hurdles, specifically the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) commercial space office, for slowing down Starship development. Trump’s deregulatory stance could lead to reforms within the FAA, easing restrictions on private rocket launches and accelerating the development of SpaceX’s Mars-bound spacecraft.
NASA, under Trump, may also shift towards more cost-efficient fixed-price contracts that favor private companies like SpaceX. This approach would mark a departure from traditional cost-plus contracts used for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), which Boeing and Northrop Grumman have developed at a cumulative cost of around $24 billion since 2011. Any move to cut SLS funding, however, could face political challenges, as it could affect thousands of jobs across multiple states and increase NASA’s reliance on SpaceX for human spaceflight.
Musk’s Ambitious Mars Timeline
Despite Musk’s ambitious claims, achieving crewed Mars landings by the late 2020s remains uncertain. In September, Musk asserted that SpaceX could land Starship on Mars as early as 2026, with a crewed mission following by 2030. Trump has publicly voiced support for Musk’s timeline, even hinting at these goals in campaign speeches. However, industry experts express skepticism about this aggressive timeline. Scott Pace, who led space policy during Trump’s first term, acknowledged that Musk might land an uncrewed Starship on Mars within this timeframe but cautioned that a crewed mission would require additional preparatory steps.
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