NASA has modified its pledge to land the first woman on the moon following an executive order issued by Donald Trump.
NASA has recently made changes to the wording on its website regarding its Artemis mission.
This update has raised questions and concerns among many people.
The space agency previously stated that it would land “the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the Moon.”
However, the new wording has removed these specific mentions.
NASA revises its commitment to landing the ‘first woman on the moon’ after Trump’s executive order
The changes came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order.
This order required all federal agencies, including NASA, to remove pages related to diversity, equity, and inclusion from their websites.
As a result, NASA’s website no longer highlights the goal of sending women or people of color to the Moon.
NASA officials provide clarification on mission changes
Following the update, there was confusion about whether NASA had abandoned its plans to include diverse astronauts in the Artemis mission.
Jimi Russell, a Senior Public Affairs Officer at NASA, clarified the situation.
He stated that the language was updated in line with the President’s executive order.
Russell assured the public that the mission’s goals remain focused on diversity and inclusion.
“In keeping with the President’s Executive Order, we’re updating our language regarding plans to send crew to the lunar surface as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign,” Russell said to IFLScience.
In a statement, Russell emphasized that NASA still aims to send a diverse crew to the lunar surface.
He mentioned, “We look forward to learning more about the Trump Administration’s plans for our agency.”
NASA’s website features updated wording about the mission.
The updated wording on NASA’s website now focuses on the scientific goals of the Artemis campaign.
The website states: “With NASA’s Artemis campaign, we are exploring the Moon for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world as we prepare for human missions to Mars.
“We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon.”
Upcoming Artemis II mission
NASA’s Artemis II mission is scheduled to send four astronauts to the Moon in April 2026. This mission was initially set for an earlier date but has been postponed.
The Artemis II mission will last ten days and will mark the first crewed mission to the Moon in decades.
NASA is working hard to ensure that this mission remains on schedule.
The Artemis program is vital for NASA as it prepares for future human missions to Mars.
4o Image Credit: Getty
NASA aims to use the knowledge gained from the Moon missions to support longer-duration missions to Mars and beyond.
The agency is pushing forward with its plans despite challenges and changes in leadership.
Recently, it was announced that the core stage integration for Artemis II is complete at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.
This milestone indicates that NASA is making significant progress toward its goals.
Lockheed Martin’s Kirk Shireman, who leads the Orion spacecraft program, emphasized the urgency of the mission.
He stated that even gaining a minute in scheduling is precious for the team.