Therefore, many sources in the space community believe that it is really understandable that in the next five years, SLS and Orion will be removed in favor of a less expensive commercial rocket and spacecraft. In this way, NASA will be asked to defeat China on the moon with a legacy system and then identify more cheap options for future missions on the moon.
Mars’s ambitions
A sector that will look at the growing costs under the Trump administration’s proposed budget is human space.
The document states, “By allocating more than 7 billion billion for lunar search and introducing a new investment of $ 1 billion for Mars -based programs, the budget ensures that America’s human space research efforts are unprecedented, innovative and effective.”
Under the Trump administration, NASA will try to reach both the moon and Mars. The document states that NASA has “focus on beating China on the moon and putting the first human on Mars first.” Unfortunately, there is no information about these “Mars -based program”. Some of these new funding will definitely go to Space X. Trump is clearly focused on the establishment of human settlements on Mars, a company based by Elon Elon Musk.
Although the search for lunar and Mars increases, the budget seeks to reduce the agency’s commitment from the International Space Station, while it is still flying by 2030. “The staff and cargo flights for the station will be significantly reduced. The low research capacity will focus on important efforts for the moon and Mars search programs.”
It is likely that the Congress will oppose some of these changes, especially the decline in science programs and the reduction of activity at the International Space Station. But this story will begin in the coming months when the budget diligent process begins.