December 19, 2025, 2:46 p.mDecember 19, 2025, 2:46 p.m
US President Donald Trump wants to send US astronauts to the moon again as quickly as possible. On Thursday (local time) he signed a decree in Washington demanding that the space agency NASA land on the moon by 2028.
Trump is apparently putting manned missions to Mars on hold for the time being, which tech billionaire Elon Musk in particular had pushed for.
The US President is demanding a trip to the moon by March 2028.Image: keystone
With the moon landing, NASA is intended to “underpin American leadership in space, lay the foundation for the economic development of the moon, prepare for the journey to Mars and inspire the next generation of American explorers,” as Trump’s decree states. By 2030, NASA is also expected to build the “first elements of a permanent lunar station” and flesh out plans for nuclear reactors in space.
The last time on the moon was in 1972
The USA last landed on the moon six times with its Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972. In addition to a moon landing, NASA’s Artemis program now also includes the construction of a permanent lunar station. The first moon landing with the Artemis III mission is currently planned for mid-2027, but the program has already been delayed several times. One reason for this is that the space shuttle from Musk’s company SpaceX is still not ready.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk.Image: keystone
Race with China
Trump is now apparently accelerating to get ahead of China in the race to the moon. The People’s Republic is planning a moon landing for 2030 and the construction of a lunar station by 2035 – and has adhered to its schedule much more reliably in the past.
After Trump’s return to the White House, there was initially speculation that NASA’s lunar program could be shortened or even canceled entirely. Like his then advisor Musk, Trump initially pursued the goal of shifting the focus of US space travel to Mars.
After Trump took office in January, Musk was responsible for massive savings in ministries and authorities in his government. After four months as a special advisor, the SpaceX boss announced his withdrawal from the government and fell out with Trump. (sda/afp)
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