US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order formally setting out his administration’s priorities in space, committing the United States to returning astronauts to the Moon and laying the groundwork for a permanent human presence there. The document, titled Ensuring American Superiority in Space, also places renewed emphasis on strengthening American defence capabilities in orbit, underscoring Washington’s view of space not only as a scientific frontier but as a long-term strategic and security domain, reports The WP Times.
The order does not introduce a new lunar programme but politically закрепляет objectives that have shaped US space policy for several years. By elevating them to the level of a presidential decree, the White House gives existing plans greater institutional weight and sends a signal to federal agencies, contractors and international partners that the lunar track remains a strategic priority.
A political deadline rather than a technical reset
Central to the decree is a commitment to see American astronauts return to the lunar surface by 2028. That date is political rather than technical. NASA’s current planning for the crewed landing mission points to 2027, but the executive order sets a broader horizon aligned with a presidential term, creating a clear point of accountability for the administration rather than a guaranteed launch date.
The return to the Moon is to be carried out under the long-running Artemis programme, which has been in development since 2017. Its goal is to send US astronauts back to the lunar surface for the first time in more than half a century, using new launch systems, spacecraft and landing technology designed for repeated missions rather than a one-off demonstration.
Artemis and the question of delays
The mission intended to carry astronauts to the Moon, Artemis 3, has already faced several schedule adjustments as technical challenges and budgetary pressures reshaped the programme’s timeline. While earlier, uncrewed Artemis flights have demonstrated key systems successfully, the crewed landing remains vulnerable to further delays.
By anchoring the programme in an executive order, the administration is attempting to protect it from short-term political shifts. The decree does not eliminate technical risk, but it raises the political cost of abandoning or radically scaling back the lunar effort.
From landing to long-term presence
Beyond the initial return, the order calls for the construction of the first elements of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030. Officials describe this not as a fully fledged base from the outset, but as the beginning of sustained infrastructure on the Moon — power systems, habitation modules and logistics capabilities that would allow repeated missions and longer stays.
Such a presence is framed as a stepping stone for future exploration, including eventual missions to Mars. However, major questions remain unresolved, from long-term crew safety and supply chains to international governance and funding models. The decree outlines intent rather than delivering a detailed engineering roadmap.
Defence and strategic signalling
A significant section of the order addresses the need to strengthen US defence capabilities in space. While less prominent in public discussion than the Moon landing itself, this language reflects a broader shift in how Washington views the space domain — not only as an arena for science and exploration, but as a strategic environment tied to national security.
For allies such as the United Kingdom and other NATO members, this emphasis underscores the growing role of satellites, orbital surveillance and space-based communications in modern defence planning. It also points to deeper integration between civilian space programmes and military priorities.
Europe’s role in the lunar programme
The Artemis programme is not purely American. The European Space Agency is a formal partner, with plans for European astronauts to take part in future missions. ESA has indicated that a German astronaut could become the first European to walk on the Moon under Artemis, though several intermediate flights are scheduled before any such landing attempt.
For Europe, the executive order confirms that US leadership will define the pace and direction of the programme. Participation offers access to cutting-edge technology and missions, but within a framework set in Washington rather than through a multilateral process.
Continuity rather than a policy break
Although the decree bears Trump’s signature, many of its core elements predate his return to office. Artemis was conceived during his first term and continued under subsequent administrations. What changes now is not the technical architecture of the programme, but its political framing.
By formally fixing lunar exploration and space superiority as presidential priorities, the White House is seeking to provide continuity in an area often vulnerable to shifting political winds. Whether that continuity translates into on-time launches and a lasting presence on the Moon will depend less on the wording of the order than on budgets, engineering progress and sustained political support in the years ahead.
A signal beyond the Moon
Ultimately, the executive order is as much about signalling as it is about spaceflight. To allies, it reassures that the United States intends to remain a leading power in space. To competitors, it underlines that the Moon and Earth orbit are viewed as strategic arenas, not neutral commons. And at home, it elevates space exploration from an agency programme to a declared national priority.
The decree may not change the immediate trajectory of Artemis, but it places the Moon firmly within the long-term political imagination of the United States — not as a distant scientific ambition, but as a domain of sustained presence, influence and power.
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