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Returning to the Moon and the Battle with China: Why NASA's Future Is Closely Linked to Commercial Space Firms

2025-01-06 18:32:41Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Returning to the Moon and the Battle with China: Why NASA's Future Is
Returning to the Moon and the Battle with China: Why NASA's Future Is Closely Linked to Commercial Space Firms

The administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on January 20, will continue NASA's efforts to return astronauts to the surface of the moon. As VOA's Kane Farabaugh reports, this mission requires the involvement of commercial space companies.

During a press conference on NASA's plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface, agency administrator Bill Nelson noted that commercial companies are also involved in the Artemis program.

"It is a commercial and international partnership"

More than 50 countries are members of the Artemis Agreement, which shares common principles to improve the civilian exploration and use of deep space.

China, currently the main competitor of NASA and its international partners, is not a participant in the mission, while it plans to land its own crew on the Moon by 2030.

NASA wants to reach the Moon before China, using technologies created by commercial space companies to achieve the goal.

"SpaceX will operate a capsule that will land on the moon for the Artemis 3 mission. The Artemis 4 mission will be carried out by SpaceX and Artemis 5 by Blue Origin," says NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

The next mission will be in 2026, when Artemis 2 will send a crew into orbit, but will not land on the moon. Astronaut Reid Wiseman is the mission commander.

"Our success enables the Artemis 3 mission"

During the Artemis 3 mission, scheduled for 2027, NASA aims to land near the moon's south pole to search for ice and water. Administrator Bill Nelson says SpaceX founder Elon Musk's experience in testing rockets and spacecraft could help the Artemis mission. So could his ties to President-elect Donald Trump.

"I think these relationships will bring benefits to securing the necessary funding for NASA."

"I agree with Elon Musk. Our goal should be even bigger. We should go to Mars," Charles Camarda, a former NASA astronaut and engineer, tells VOA.

"We should only use the Moon to improve technology and go to Mars."

In 2005, Mr. Camarda was part of the crew of the first space shuttle mission since the Columbia disaster in 2003, when the shuttle exploded during reentry. All seven crew members died.

Problems with the Orion capsule's heat shield during reentry on the unmanned Artemis 1 mission in 2022 are a concern for Mr. Camarda. NASA believes the problem has been resolved and plans to use the Orion capsule to send astronauts to the moon.

"I think this could be the turning point and it could be moving in the right direction, or it could be the end of NASA," says Mr. Camarda.

NASA Deputy Administrator, former astronaut Pam Melroy, told the press that making decisions on the Artemis mission before the arrival of the new administration in Washington is of time importance for achieving the goal of returning to the moon before China.

"Delay would be much worse."

Mr. Trump announced plans to nominate entrepreneur and pilot Jared Isaacman to the post of NASA's new administrator.

In 2021 and 2024, Mr. Isaacman flew around the Earth in SpaceX's Dragon capsules and is the first commercial astronaut to perform such an activity./VOA


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