Mars

NASA will cancel the SLS rocket and look for a cheaper alternative to colonize the moon and Mars

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It was seen comingbut the impact is not less. The Trump administration has presented its budget proposal for fiscal year 2026. And in regards to NASA, it is a true earthquake. Goodbye to SLS. The huge and very expensive lunar rocket SLS of the NASA, whose development has led the Boeing spatial division for 14 years, will be removed after the Artemis III mission, scheduled for 2027. There will be no block 1B version, and therefore the ML-2 mobile launch tower (whose budget had been sentenced) will be presumably without using. Justification is economical. The own Budget document Openly criticizes the SLS, noting that it has a cost of 4,000 million dollars per launch and has exceeded its budget by 140%. Demolish figures that not only They have sentenced the heir to the legacy Apollo and space transforders, but to all NASA’s lunar architecture. Goodbye to Orion and Lunar Gateway. Designed to launch aboard the SLS, the Lockheed Martin’s space capsule now has the same expiration date: it will be removed after taking astronauts to the lunar orbit in the Artemis II and Artemis III missions. NASA will choose a more modern and affordable architecture for Artemis IV onwards. But the cuts do not stop here. The Lunar Gateway Space Station, a key international project in the now truncated plans of the Artemis program, is also canceled. This leaves NASA’s international partners in a very delicate position that participated in the station: the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan (Jaxa), Canada (CSA) and United Arab Emirates. ESA, which supplies the European Ship Module Orion and develops The I-Hab and Esprit modules of Lunar Gatewaysee how your investment and astronaut places (including a seat to travel for the first time to the lunar surface) are in the air. As Daniel Marín points out in Eurekathe “ugly” to the partners is considerable. Especially to Europe. The bet: commercial ships and Mars. According to a NASA statement, the objective of these cuts is “to accelerate human exploration to the moon and Mars with a tax portfolio.” In other words, the blank checks for usual partners of the space agency are over. The White House wants to “return to the moon before China and put an American on Mars.” The budget allocates more than 7,000 million dollars to lunar exploration, but focused on “next generation commercial systems, more profitable” to replace the SLS/ORion architecture. Starship/HLS of Spacex and New Glenn/Blue Moon of Blue Origin have, as is logical, many ballots. The budget also introduces an investment of 1,000 million dollars to start a program focused on Mars. Although the details are scarce, it is taken for granted that will also pivot the SLS to the Spacex Starship, following Elon Musk’s vision. However, it is a very long -term bet, with little chances of seeing fruits before the current presidential mandate ends. Less science, less flights to ISS. The budget is especially devastating for NASA’s Space Science Division, which suffers a cut of 2,265 million dollars. The Mars Sample Return mission is explicitly canceled to recover the Martian soil samples from Rover Perseverance, arguing that the same objective will be achieved with future manned missions. Emblematic projects such as the new Nancy Grace Roman (which is almost finished), the historic Hubble space telescope and even, According to Eric Berger of Ars TechnicaNASA’s participation in the Rosalind Franklin European mission. The International Space Station, although it will remain operational until 2030, is not fought. NASA will reduce the size of the American crew and on-board research (-508 million budget), decreasing “significantly” loading and crew flights, gradually leaving the low terrestrial orbit in the hands of commercial stations (and China). A cycle change. While the proposal has yet to go through Congress, the Republican majority makes it difficult to take great modifications, although programs such as SLS/ORION have important support within the giant lobby as Boeing. The big question is whether this bet will work to win the space race against China. The abrupt cancellation of the SLS could leave a vacuum that China would take the opportunity to establish a sustained lunar presence before commercial alternatives are ready. And it is that getting to the Moon is not easy for private companies, as the failed launches of the NASA Clps program have demonstrated. Needless to say how risky it is to bet on an accelerated arrival to Mars. Image | POT In Xataka | China is getting closer to overcoming NASA in its Martian mission. And just invited other countries to join

The Curiosity Rover has found its best track so far that Mars was a habitable planet

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NASA’s indefatigable Curiosity Rover has found one of the most forceful evidence until the date of the past habitability of Mars. But also of the fragility of this habitable ecosystem. The finding. Curiosity arrived in Mars on August 6, 2012. Covered with dust and with deteriorated wheelscontinues to put the Gale crater in which he landed. In a stretch of 89 meters of rocky strata, on the slopes of Mount Sharp, a discovery has caught the attention of scientists. According to a study Published in Science magazineX -ray crystallography instruments and Curiosity gas analysis have detected large amounts of siderita, an iron carbonate ore, between sulfate rich rocks. Why it is important. Although I know They had detected carbonates on Marsthis discovery is exceptional for several reasons. First, the abundance of Siderita: it reaches between 4.8 and 10.5% of the weight of three perforated samples, which have been baptized as Tapo Caparo, Ubajara and Sequoia. Second, the purity of the siderita. It is almost pure feco3, with very little magnesium or calcium, which contrasts with other Martian carbonates. Third, its coexistence with highly soluble salts in water: calcium sulfates and magnesium sulfates. All this fits with an ancient evaporation process. What tells us about the old Mars. The formation of this siderite implies that the Martian atmosphere contained sufficient carbon dioxide to dissolve in water and react with the rocks. When precipitating as mineral, the CO2 was kidnapped In the rocks. The Gale crater was a lake that gradually dry out over time, leaving behind these layers of different salts or minerals. The study estimates that recent samples could house between 2.6 and 36 millibars of atmospheric CO2, up to six times the current CO2 pressure on Mars, confirming that There was once an important carbon deposit interacting with surface water, a key requirement for habitability. An incomplete cycle. But the story does not end there. The team found evidence that part of the siderite that formed was subsequently destroyed. A close sample (nicknamed Canaima) lacked a siderite, but contained abundant iron oxyhydroxides. Samples with siderita (tapo caparo, ubajara, sequoia) also contained these oxides in variable quantities. Researchers believe that it is due to a diagenesis process. Subsequent fluids interacted with the rocks, partially dissolving the siderite. This destruction oxidized the iron forming oxihydroxides, and released part of the CO2 previously kidnapped again to the atmosphere. This training cycle (CO2 kidnapping) and partial destruction (CO2 release) constitutes the best evidence so far of a Old carbon cycle on Mars. However, Siderita’s persistence indicates that it was a partial and incomplete cycle: more carbon was kidnapped than was subsequently released, unlike the carbon cycle of planet Earth, which has maintained a greater balance over geological time. A fragile habitability. The discovery reinforces the idea of ​​a habitable primitive Mars with liquid water interacting with a CO2 rich atmosphere until The warm and wet days are over. He tells us that the planet was habitable, but also that habitability is something very fragile. Perhaps a lesson about the climatic stability of our own planet in the face of climate change. Mars, once again, serves as a planetary laboratory to understand the evolution and fragility of the habitable worlds. Image | POT In Xataka | NASA’s Curiosity robot has opened a rock on Mars by accident. A yellow treasure has just revealed

We have just found a terrestrial lichen capable of living and prospering in Mars. And it is more interesting than it seems

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In the mid -2010, a group of European researchers They went up to the highest, arid and aggressive part from the Sierra de Gredos to collect lichens. Their intention was clear: bringing them to space and seeing what happened to them. And they did. The Castilian lichens did not travel alone, they went with another lichene of the Alps and with a pair of cryptondolitic fungi of the dry valleys of McMurdo, in the Antarctic region of Victoria Earth. 18 months passed outside the International Space Station. AND They survived: They survived the void of space, lack of water, at external temperatures and radiation. It was excellent news. But there was a better one. Because it was not the only experiment they were doing. Actually, half of the samples traveled to the US, yes; But the other half They got into In a laboratory here on Earth and were preserved in conditions very similar to those on the surface of Mars. We talk about “temperature fluctuations between -21.5 and +59.6 ºC, cosmic-galactic radiation of up to 190 megrays, and a vacuum between 10-7 and 10-4 pascals.” After that year and a half of experiment, when comparing the samples, the specimens exposed to the Martian conditions had twice as much metabolic activity as those who had been in spatial conditions. In the case of alpine lichen (Xanthoria Elegans) It was 80% more. It was interesting, but it wasn’t enough. But do they only survive or advance? Now a Polish research team has managed to take the steps that were missing. His idea was also simple: studying the physiological and biochemical responses of certain species of live and direct lichens. In the end, the 2015 study was not able to determine what had happened during those 18 months. His work concentrated on examining what had remained and, in this sense, Polish researchers They paid a lot of attention in what was happening during the process. And although the results were mixed … Of the two varieties of licen they used, one (one (C. Aculeata) He failed to endure Oxidative stress or associated damage, despite having high amounts of melatonin. Instead, another (D. Muscorum) Yes could effectively activate its defense mechanisms based on crystalline deposits. … The news is good. Not only because it gives us very interesting keys to conceptualize the challenges of survival and habitability on Mars. But They expand “Our understanding of biological processes in simulated Martian conditions and reveal how hydrated organisms respond to ionizing radiation.” We still do not know if it is a good idea ‘polluting Mars with earthly life ways’, but we do start to intuit that it will be inevitable. That, in fact, IGual is a process already underway. Image | THAT | Daniele Colucci In Xataka | Elon Musk has said that Mars will be part of the United States. It is an unusual affront to the outdoor space treaty

Elon Musk has said that Mars will be part of the United States. It is an unusual affront to the outdoor space treaty

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See Elon Musk on stage in a political event is already a guarantee that In the morning the bread will upload. But this time his words have resonated beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. The echo has felt up to Mars. The phrase. During a political rally in Wisconsin, with a gigantic American flag projected behind him, and dressed in his Spacex blue jacket, Elon Musk pronounced The following phrase: “I will die in the United States. I’m not going anywhere. I could go to Mars, but it will be part of the United States.” The affront. He Treaty about outer space From 1967, signed today by 115 countries, it establishes that “the ultra -resort space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriations by claim of sovereignty, through use or occupation, or by any other means.” Musk’s statement, individually, does not directly violate the agreement, which is only binding for governments. But his words are an unusual affront if they are interpreted as a suggestion that the United States will claim Mars as his, violating international law. The contradiction. Interestingly, Spacex, Elon Musk’s aerospace company, keeps in the Starlink service terms A legal notice about Mars that contradicts the treaty and in turn the recent statements of its founder: “For the services provided on Mars, or in transit to Mars through Starship or other spacecraft, the parties recognize that Mars is a free planet and that no land government has authority or sovereignty on Martian activities. Consequently, disputes will be resolved by principles of self -government, established in good faith, at the time of the Martian resolution” What is the plan. Since the foundation of Spacex in 2002, Musk’s long -term vision includes the Colonization of Mars. Its objective is to establish a self -sufficient settlement on the red planet that would guarantee the survival of humanity as a multiplaneary species if something happened on earth. Spacex is developing the Gigantic Rocket Starship To give logistical support to this titanic project, and plan launch the first unmanned missions At the end of next year. But at the time of truth, only governments and hundreds of thousands of volunteers willing not to return They would have the ability to carry out a permanently inhabited colony on Mars. Political pressure. NASA marked as a priority objective the return to the moon, but Musk, which Consider the moon “a distraction”he is pressing the agency with its political power and its enormous resources to accelerate the missions with astronauts to the red planet. You have already got Donald Trump Declare Mars the “manifest destiny” from the United States, and things could get even more on their part if Jared Isaacman, Spacex’s commercial partner, assumes NASA administration after being nominated by the president. Against the law. Of course, one thing would be to plant the American flag on Mars, something that also China intends to do with yours in 2040and another very different would be to claim the independence of a Martian colony. Any property claim on Mars, does NASA or Spacex, would be considered an American claim, due to its continuous jurisdiction, and would be prohibited. If Musk’s declaration is interpreted as a territorial claim, It would be incompatible with the principles of the international treaty. On the other hand, it is true that Musk has no problem changing his opinion. Until recently, he argued that Martian settlers would directly legislate the planet with a political self -government system for direct democracy. The laws would be voted by the people, without political intermediaries, the businessman proposed. Images | POT, Wisconsin Young Republicons In Xataka | It is not that Elon Musk has managed to introduce its influence on NASA. Is that he has entered sweeping

Perseverance has found a very strange rock on Mars. Is covered with spheres and does not fit with its surroundings

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He Rover Perseverance He has discovered an intriguing rock on Mars. Composed of hundreds of small spheres, NASA scientists They are investigating how it formed. After climbing (Not without difficulties) The edge of the Jezero crater, Perseverance has been exploring a place called Broom Point, where he has seen rocks of different colors. There he took samples of clear stones and discovered a strange texture in a nearby dark rock. Appeared “St. Pauls Bay”, the rock is covered with Timinutas gray spheriessome crushed or games, other perforated, reminiscent of a lot of blueberries. The formation is very peculiar and darker than the environment. It is not the first time that NASA finds strange spheres in Mars. The Opportunity and Curiosity Roversity saw similar formations, nicknamed “Blueberries”, which originated when The planet was full of waterdue to the groundwater, circulating through the rocks. But the Water circulation It is not the only process that can lead to spherules. Also volcanic eruptions or meteorite impacts. The St. Paul’s Bay rock in its surroundings The geological origin of St. Pauls Bay is not clear. It is a floating rock, so it was not in its original position, which suggests that the spheris may not be concretions (particle accumulations). Perseverance team is checking if the Rock fits with The layers observed in the surroundingsa region called Witch Hazel Hill. Discovering the origin of these tiny spheres could help NASA to unravel the Geological history of the area. If it belongs, like other Jezero rocks, at the NOEICA age, it is an exceptional witness of the primary cortex of Mars more than 3.7 billion years ago. In addition to Find past life cluesPerseverance tries to understand how Mars became an inhospitable and cold planet of little atmosphere, something that could also happen with the earth in a few million years. Images | NASA, JPL-Caltech In Xataka | Perseverance is leaving rock signs along Mars. And something even more valuable: air samples

“He will go to Mars next year”

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Starship has suffered its greatest setback in years. Two consecutive explosions They have triggered rumors that something is wrong with the latest design improvements of the ship. Elon Musk He has just responded to these rumors in his own way, stating that the world’s largest rocket will be launched to Mars next year. “Starship will leave to Mars at the end of next year, carrying optimus as a load,” The businessman wrote in allusion to Tesla anthropomorphic robots. “If those landings went well, the landings with humans could start in 2029, although they are more likely in 2031”. The dates are optimistic, but not arbitrary. The launch windows between the Earth and Mars occur every 26 months, when the relative position of both planets allows more efficient trajectories, with a lower fuel expense. The next launch window will open in November 2026. Spacex plans to send around Five starship not crew to Mars during the next launch opportunity. The ships would arrive on the red planet six months later, shortly before the planned date For Artemis III, the first manned mission to the Moon since 1972. Starship is a fundamental part of NASA’s lunar mission, and in turn the largest public contract of the rocket, but Musk has said that the moon is “a distraction” and that Spacex’s priority is to colonize Mars, An objective that Donald Trump then adoptedso the future of the Artemis program is uncertain. Starship 34 filtered image with several less engines for the explosion Nor is Starship at his best. The 123 meter high rocket premiered a new version of its second stage, Starship Block 2in January. The ship has exploded on two consecutive flights since then: On flight 7, By “harmonic oscillations” which triggered a leakage of propellants, an engine fire and, finally, the disintegration of the ship On flight 8, for an “energy event” which caused the disappearance of several engines and caused the loss of ship’s control to its self -control The second ruling fired a trail of leaks and rumors that put into question the redesign of the ship. First, a mysterious source leaked an image of Starship 34, that of flight 8, with several missing engines after the explosion. After, The same source affirmed that the root cause of the problem had been the same as in the previous flight: vibrations in the tubes that carry fuel and oxygen to the Vacuor Raptor engines (RVAC), a garrafal design failure. According to this anonymous filter, Vibrations get worse As the tanks are emptied after the separation of stages. When the tanks are full, the liquid helps to cushion the vibrations, but when emptying, the vibrations increase to cause breaks in the pipes. If so, this problem occurs in the engines compartment, a non -pressurized part of the rocket that Spacex calls “AFT” (or stern) and that could be partially redesigned in upcoming versions of the rocket. Despite these rumors, Elon Musk said that flight 8 had been A lower setback and that Starship would be ready to fly again next month. Image | Spacex In Xataka | It is not that Elon Musk has managed to introduce its influence on NASA. Is that he has entered sweeping In Xataka | Elon Musk is willing to conquer Mars. His proposal to govern the planet: a direct democracy with nuances

The European Hera probe has just sent us its first photos for the story: we orbit Mars

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Despite how much we have explored Mars, we had few photos of Deimos, the smallest and distant from its two moons. The European Space Agency has just solved it. Launched October 7, 2024ESA’s hera probe goes towards Dimorfo, the first asteroid diverted by humanity. Understand the effects of historical impact that NASA’s Dart probe achieved In 2022 it will be Europe’s contribution to the International Planetary Defense Mission as we detect new potentially dangerous objects in the Solar System. Before getting to Dído, the binary asteroid system of which Dimorfo is part, the Hera probe has flown Mars to gain speed. The gravitational assistance maneuver It happened last night and it was totally successful: Not only because hera shortened his travel time in several months, saving a crucial amount of fuel, but because he took more than a thousand photos. Deimos and the surface of Mars through the Hara Camera (ESA) Moving at 32,400 km/h with respect to Mars, Hera went to just 5000 km from the red planet, taking advantage of its gravity to gain energy. But also to photograph The moon deams only 1000 km A distance, a historical overflow that was possible thanks to the fact that ESA had adjusted the trajectory of the probe to coincide with the satellite. When the images arrived, the agency scientists project them on a large screen at the European Space Operations Center. All present, including Brian May, a astrophysicist in spectroscopy and guitarist of Queen, exploded in shouts and applause. Deimos and the surface of Mars through the infrared thermal chamber (ESA/Jaxa) Affected by the mare coupling, we always look at Mars with the same face, so Hera has photographed his remote sidehis most unknown face. With 12.4 km in diameter, Deimos, a dark moon and covered with dust in potatoes could be a remnant of a great impact on Mars or an asteroid captured by the gravitational attraction of the planet. During your overfruit, Hera used for the first time Three scientific instruments outside the Earth-Luna system: its black and white sensor used for autonomous navigation, its hyperspectral image sensor (which exceeds the limits of the human eye in terms of visible and infrared colors that it is capable of detecting) and its infrared thermal chamber. In addition to the photos, the exercise has served as training for the main mission, but Dimorfo will be a much more complex objective of photographing: the 151 -meter diameter asteroid is Didimo’s moon, which measures 780 meters. The encounter between the probe and the asteroids should occur in December 2026. Two cubesats that travel inside Hera They will approach the asteroids. Image | THAT In Xataka | NASA and ESA have taken a turn in their predictions on the asteroid: the new data almost rule out the impact

We were wrong about why Mars is red

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The reddish color of Mars is perceived with the naked eye. Perhaps by association of red with the blood, the Babylonians will link him with Nergal, his god of war, something that the Greeks and Romans also did by calling him Ares and Mars. As for why it is a red planet, we have news. Mars is oxidized. For a long time it has been known that the characteristic reddish tone of Mars is due to the presence of iron oxides in the dust on its surface. A New international study that combines data from the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA with laboratory experiments suggests that these iron oxides were formed in the presence of water long before what was believed. A surprisingly wet story. Until recently, it was thought that the predominant iron oxide in Mars was hematite, a mineral that can be formed with little or no presence of liquid water on the surface, provided there is an oxidizing agent in the atmosphere. However, the New observations and laboratory analysis They show clear indications of water in the spectral firm of the Martian dust. This finding indicates that ferrihydrite, an iron oxide with water molecules integrated in its structure, is responsible for the unmistakable red color of the planet, showing that Mars has a more humid story of the established. What is ferrihydrite and why it matters. Ferrihydrite is a badly crystallized and iron ore that is rapidly formed in the presence of fresh water and with moderate oxidation levels. Its structure retains water molecules or other hydroxyl groups inside, so that it leaves a water footprint even under drier subsequent conditions. This feature contrasts with the hematite, which is anhydra and much more stable when there is no liquid water around. Therefore, Ferrihydrite’s discovery implies that in the past of Mars there were episodes with relatively abundant liquid water. The methodology. To get to this conclusion, the researchers combined measurements of several probes and rovers of the ESA (Mars Express and Trace Gas Orbiter) and NASA (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Curiosity, Opportunity and Pathfinder) with laboratory experiments. These experiments consisted of creating simulated Martian dust mixing ferrihydrite with ground basalt in particles a hundred times finer than a human hair. Then, they measured the optical properties of these samples in the same way that the instruments on Mars do, confirming that the ferriidrite explained better the spectral firms of the red planet. A red planet with secrets to reveal. On Earth, ferrihydrite is usually transformed over time into more crystalline phases (such as Goetita or Hematite) if the temperature and water availability conditions allow it. Mars is extremely cold, dry and exposed to a very little dense atmosphere. These conditions hinder the transformation and favor that the ferrihydrite is kept as is, retaining its “water seal” despite the billions of years after it was formed. The image of Mars as an arid and reddish planet has not changed with this study, but our understanding of its past yes. The confirmation of an oxidation phase in the presence of water indicates that the planet had more humid periods and with the possibility of hosting living organisms. Image | ESA/DLR/FU BERLIN/G. Michael, A. Valantines In Xataka | Bombard the poles with nuclear weapons or build a giant magnet: the most reposted ideas to terraft Mars

In 2011, a collector bought in Morocco a meteorite. It has turned out to be a direct test of thermal water on Mars

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A black stone that had fallen from the sky was discovered in the Sahara desert by a Saharawi group. Selling to the highest bidder, we have known for a long time that it comes from the Mars cortex, but they have had to spend more than 10 years for scientists to desert one of their best kept secrets. A meteorite called “Black Beauty”. Officially called Northwest Africa 7034, the 320 grams rock was found in 2011 in the Sahara desert, in Western Sahara, and later sold to an American collector in Morocco. Its composition is unique among known Martian meteorites. It contains very old and very young minerals glued to each other, but coincides with what was observed by NASA’s rovers on the surface of Mars, so it was part of the Martian cortex when it detached from the red planet. A time capsule. A Recent study It focuses on a zircon grain found in the meteorite. This zircon has no less than 4,450 million years, which places it in the earliest stages of Martian history. The majority of known meteorites that come from Mars are from later geological periods, so NWA 7034 provides invaluable information on what the surface environment of the red planet was long before becoming what it is today. The meteorite that contains the most water. What makes Black Beauty exceptional is that it houses 10 times more water than other Martian meteorites. It was known that by the interaction of the rock with the water present in the crust of the planet at the time of its formation, but the recent analysis of the zircon with modern microscopy techniques has revealed much more information. The fragment contains iron, aluminum and sodium, unusual elements for a zircon of purely magmatic origin. But it is above all the presence of tiny inclusions of magnetite (iron oxide) that suggests that it crystallized under hydrothermal conditions. That is, in the presence of water at high temperature, and in an oxidizing environment. Ancient hot springs. The magnetite is trapped in zones of the zirch that are not altered by radiation, which indicates that they were formed at the same time as the zirch, and not as a result of subsequent secondary processes, the researchers explain. What the study comes to say is that 4,450 million years ago, during what is known as the pre-ondic period of Mars, there were already hydrothermal conditions in the Martian cortex. The Black Beauty meteorite is a direct proof that Mars had water in its formation stages. Favorable conditions for life. The finding reinforces the hypothesis that Mars had from very early the necessary conditions to house life, or at least some environments suitable for microbial life. That there was life on Mars or that it arrived on earth through a meteorite is still two hypotheses for which we have no evidence. However, that a meteorite of 2011 has given us so much information and reasons to continue investigating demonstrates how important the Martian samples can be that NASA and China want to bring in the coming years. Images | New Mexico University, NASA

Trump has made it very clear that he wants to conquer Mars. Now NASA has the enormous problem of not being called SpaceX

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Trump made just one space promise during his inauguration speech, but it was no small feat. The Martian dream. Between cheers and jumps of enthusiasm of Elon Musk, Donald Trump pointed out Mars as new “manifest destiny” of the United States. The newly inaugurated president promised to take astronauts to the Red Planet and plant the American flag in Martian soil. Trump stated: “We will pursue our manifest destiny to the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the flag on the planet Mars.” His words are not coincidental and have a clear influence, but they seem to mark a change of priorities for NASA that leaves the future of the Artemis lunar program. The influence of Elon Musk. “We’re going straight to Mars, the Moon is a distraction,” wrote the CEO of SpaceX two weeks ago. No one quite understood the scope of that tweet, since SpaceX has a very important contract with NASA to build the lander for the Artemis III and IV lunar missions, but now that message resonates on Capitol Hill. There, President Trump focused on Mars. It could just be a rhetorical statement (slowly, but surely, we have to get to Mars before China does), but with Elon Musk as a key ally, the new government could really be preparing a radical shift in astronautics strategy. The current Artemis program. It was precisely Trump’s first term that shaped NASA’s current lunar program. The then administrator, Jim Bridenstine, managed to put the United States’ return to the Moon on track with an architecture that combined NASA’s internal developments (the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft) with commercial spacecraft from private companies (SpaceX’s Starship HLS and the lunar module Blue Moon by Blue Origin). In turn, Bridenstine promoted a series of unmanned lunar missions and the creation of the Artemis Accordswhich already has 53 signatory countries, for international cooperation in future missions to the Moon, including the construction of a lunar base, the commercial exploitation of the satellite and everything that comes after (Mars, comets and asteroids). The Moon is a cruel lover. Artemis is not at her best. Manned missions have been delayed for problems on the Orion ship and delays in Starship development. Furthermore, the insane cost overruns of the SLS rocket have put a good part of public opinion against the current architecture of the program, which could be reconfigured with the support of SpaceX’s new Starship and Blue Origin’s New Glenn rockets. To make matters worse, the first two commercial missions associated with Artemis (CLPS‑1 and CLPS‑2) failed to reach the Moon or lie down when landing on the moonwhich has precipitated the cancellation of other more important missions such as NASA’s VIPER rover. But until Trump’s speech, there was nothing to predict that the Artemis program would be in danger. Is it really? From the Moon to Mars. Until now, NASA’s plan was to establish itself on the Moon throughout this decade and the next (or at least in the Gateway lunar station in orbit with the satellite) to prepare for the jump to Mars in the 2040s. Prioritize the Red Planet I would leave three scenarios to the foreseeable new administrator from NASA, Jared Isaacman: A reduced lunar program, without aspirations to create a large lunar base like the one proposed by the ILRS program led by China. Thus, the United States would continue in the race to put the first woman on the moon without stopping to focus on Mars. In exchange, he would cede lunar land to his opponents A bifurcated program with parallel lunar and Martian missions that do not throw away everything that has been developed so far. It would be the logical step if NASA’s budget were unlimited, but with the huge investment what the lunar program entails, adding a Martian program seems impossible A total redirection to the conquest of Mars. Following Elon Musk’s vision: the Moon is a distraction from the ultimate goal of become a multiplanetary civilization. Even with a majority in Congress, it is the option in which giants such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and even New Space lose (Blue Origin has several lunar contracts). It seems complicated for congressmen to agree on a clean slate, but it is not totally impossible How would the United States get to Mars? There would be a public tender, but one option immediately comes to mind. NASA could adopt the SpaceX Mars program as your own. Elon Musk said SpaceX planned to launch five uncrewed Starships to Mars in 2026 and, if they managed to land, the first crewed mission to Mars in history in 2028. The experts agree at a crucial point: a mission with astronauts to Mars in the next four years is technically impossible if it is to be done with guarantees, since the scientific and technological challenges are monumental. But there were also many people convinced that Trump would not win the election again while Musk bet money that yes I would. Image | The White House, NASA In Xataka | Artemis has entered into crisis: NASA remains silent about the Orion spacecraft and rumors of cancellation of the SLS grow

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