\n By Euronews\n<\/p>\n
\n Published on
\n 21\/12\/2025 – 8:01 GMT+1\n <\/p>\n
The United States wants to land humans on the Moon, send nuclear reactors into space and develop missile technologies that can be launched into space before the end of the decade.<\/p>\n
In a sweeping new executive order<\/a>, US President Donald Trump laid out a five-year roadmap for what his administration will achieve in space.<\/p>\n \u200bWe take a closer look at what\u2019s in the new policy directive.<\/p>\n Return to the Moon<\/p>\n First among the list is a return to the Moon by 2028 with the establishment of a \u201cpermanent lunar outpost\u201d by 2030.<\/p>\n The US\u2019s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and partners like the European Space Agency (ESA) are gearing up for the launch of the Artemis missions, which will see humans return to the Moon\u2019s surface.<\/p>\n Artemis II, scheduled to orbit around the Moon in February 2026, has three American astronauts and one Canadian on board.<\/p>\n There is no crew list yet for the later Artemis III mission, where astronauts will walk out onto the Moon\u2019s surface.\u200b<\/p>\n Experts previously told Euronews Next that the mission, scheduled for 2027, will likely be delayed due to the ongoing testing of SpaceX\u2019s Starship, the vessel that the mission is supposed to use.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s executive order also said his administration will increase the \u201ccost-effectiveness of launch and exploration architectures,\u201d such as creating commercial launch services, to bring on lunar exploration.<\/p>\n The US will be \u2018first nation to land\u2019 on Mars<\/p>\n NASA is working on a so-called \u201cMoon-to-Mars\u201d mission pipeline, where scientists will use the teachings from the Moon\u2019s surface, as well as a base there, to work towards an eventual mission to Mars.\u200b<\/p>\n However, Trump has said<\/a> in the past that the agency should just focus on getting to the Red Planet instead.\u200b<\/p>\n The Red Planet got a mention in the executive order, that the United States \u201cwill be the first nation to land an astronaut on Mars\u201d.<\/p>\n