As NASA prepares to embark on a new era under the Trump Administration, the future of space exploration hangs in the balance. Can the agency adapt to changing circumstances and priorities to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive field?
Rethinking NASA’s Future Under Trump
NASA is at a crossroads, with a transition team reviewing its activities and drafting potential executive orders for changes to space policy under the Trump Administration. The goal: to increase effectiveness and velocity in its programs.
The agency has been criticized for having too many field centers and slow-moving programs that cost a lot of money but have yet to deliver significant results. “This will not be business as usual,” says one person familiar with the transition team’s meetings, who describes a focus on achieving tangible goals and speed.
Donald Trump’s interest in Mars is well-documented, and his administration has been discussing various ways to move forward with the Red Planet mission. One possible element of an executive order under consideration: establishing a goal of sending humans to both the Moon and Mars by 2028.
Other ideas being floated include canceling the costly Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, consolidating Goddard and Ames centers at Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, and rapidly redesigning the Artemis lunar program. However, it’s unclear whether these changes will actually be implemented.
Jared Isaacman, who is expected to become NASA Administrator, has been working to create a staff for his administration. While some critics have suggested he’ll favor SpaceX, others believe Isaacman believes the agency needs help from a broad spectrum of companies to succeed. The push toward more privatization of spaceflight reflects the growing importance of commercial space and state government initiatives to attract private companies.
Key Considerations
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NASA’s transition team is drafting executive orders for changes to space policy under the Trump Administration.
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The goal is to increase effectiveness and velocity in its programs, with a focus on achieving tangible goals and speed.
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Donald Trump’s interest in Mars and his administration’s discussion of various ways to move forward with the Red Planet mission are well-documented.
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Jared Isaacman, who will become NASA Administrator, has been working to create a staff for his administration and is expected to continue the direction of civil space under the first Trump Administration.
A Changing Landscape
The future of spaceflight in the United States is likely to be led by a mix of government and commercial actors. State governments are investing more money in their NASA centers to attract private companies, reflecting a recognition that the future of spaceflight has moved beyond the government-dominated Apollo and Space Shuttle eras.
As NASA looks to the future, one thing is clear: the agency must adapt to changing circumstances and priorities if it hopes to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive field.
- wired.com | How NASA Might Change Under Donald Trump
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