Trump Affirms Goal for Moon Landing by 2028
On Thursday, December 18th, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order, titled, Ensuring American Space Superiority, outlining new priorities for U.S. space policy. The order reaffirms the aim of landing Americans on the Moon by 2028, encourages the development of nuclear reactors both on the Moon and in orbit, and seeks to attract $50 billion in additional investment for American space markets by 2028.
Additionally, the order dissolves the National Space Council, which Trump had reinstated during his first term but did not appoint a chair for in his second term. The announcement came shortly after NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman was sworn in, following Senate confirmation the previous day.
Although Trump issued several space policy directives during his initial term, Thursday marked the first comprehensive space policy statement of his second term. This executive order is focused on maintaining American dominance in space.
“Superiority in space demonstrates a nation’s vision and determination, and the technologies Americans create for this purpose greatly enhance the country’s strength, security, and prosperity,” the order states. “Therefore, the United States must adopt a space policy that expands human exploration, secures essential economic and security goals, encourages commercial growth, and paves the way for a new era in space.”
The order confirms plans to send American astronauts back to the Moon by 2028 via the Artemis program, build the foundational elements of a permanent lunar base by 2030, and start preparing for Mars missions, though no specific date is provided for reaching Mars. It also emphasizes the “near-term utilization of space nuclear power,” with a goal of having a lunar surface reactor ready for launch by 2030. Earlier this year, NASA announced its intention to deploy a nuclear reactor on the Moon in 2030.
The policy repeats several ongoing priorities, including identifying and countering threats to U.S. space assets, leading spectrum management, reforming acquisition processes, and integrating commercial capabilities into space operations.
Implementation instructions include establishing a National Initiative for American Space Nuclear Power and requesting plans from NASA and other federal agencies to achieve these goals.