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By Matt Cannon
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President Donald Trump has signed an executive order formalizing a new U.S. space policy that sets the goal of landing Americans on the moon by 2028 and beginning to establish a "permanent lunar outpost" by 2030.
The order, "Ensuring American Space Superiority," reaffirmed NASA's Artemis Program as the primary vehicle to achieve the bolstered objectives and marked a renewed commitment to American leadership in space exploration, economic development, and security.
The order also reaffirms plans to deploy nuclear reactors on the moon and in orbit by 2030 to support long-term energy needs.
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Trump's order said that the United States must "pursue a space policy that will extend the reach of human discovery, secure the Nation’s vital economic and security interests, unleash commercial development, and lay the foundation for a new space age."
U.S. astronauts last set foot on the moon in December 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission.
Why It Matters
The executive order repositions U.S. priorities in both civil and military space activities at a time of intensified global competition.
The space agency's Artemis Program’s framework is to serve as the "backbone" of the federal government's ambitions.
Artemis is NASA's existing multi-mission effort to return astronauts to the moon and eventually enable human missions to Mars.
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What To Know
Under the order, initial infrastructure for a "permanent lunar outpost" is expected by 2030, signaling a shift toward sustained lunar activities rather than short-term missions.
The order calls for $50 billion in new private investment in space markets, updating acquisition practices to favor commercial solutions, and embracing a new model for public-private space infrastructure development.
The order maintains the target to retire the International Space Station by 2030 and seeks to replace it with commercially operated space stations. It instructs agencies to support a transition pathway for commercial successors—a major shift in the U.S. approach to low-Earth orbit.
National security provisions include a directive to develop prototype next-generation missile defense systems by 2028 and to enhance the agility of U.S. military space capabilities.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump's executive order said: "Superiority in space is a measure of national vision and willpower, and the technologies Americans develop to achieve it contribute substantially to the Nation’s strength, security, and prosperity... [W]e will return Americans to the Moon by 2028 through the Artemis Program, to assert American leadership in space, lay the foundations for lunar economic development, prepare for the journey to Mars, and inspire the next generation of American explorers."
What Happens Next
NASA has 90 days from the date of the order’s signing to produce an implementation plan that addresses technical and logistical gaps, with regular reporting on progress. Within a year, agencies must begin procurement reforms and coordinate with commercial partners to ensure targets are met.
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