Overview
- President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing a crewed lunar landing by 2028 and the first elements of a permanent outpost by 2030, including a lunar surface reactor ready for launch by 2030.
- NASA must deliver a 90‑day implementation plan, while the Defense Department faces 90‑ and 180‑day deadlines tied to gap assessments, a space security strategy through cislunar space, and Golden Dome prototype missile‑defense demonstrations by 2028.
- The order reaffirms Artemis as the path for returning astronauts to the Moon, keeps the International Space Station retirement target at 2030, and directs a transition to commercially operated successor stations.
- Space governance shifts include revoking the National Space Council and moving policy coordination to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, plus revised space‑traffic language that drops a promise of free basic services in favor of commercial use.
- The policy seeks at least $50 billion in additional private investment by 2028 and emphasizes commercial acquisition, as newly sworn‑in NASA administrator Jared Isaacman signals a competition between SpaceX and Blue Origin to accelerate lunar lander readiness despite budget uncertainty.