Elon Musk wants NASA to do a Mars mission

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk started a debate about the future of human flights by criticizing NASA’s Moon mission Artemis. Unlike the collaborative approach, Musk advocates a direct mission to Mars, abandoning the return to the Moon.

Elon Musk criticized NASA: Go to Mars instead of the Moon

SpaceX actually has several agreements with NASA for the Artemis program. The surprising change initiated by Elon Musk shows that the program to go to the Moon is unnecessary and the focus should be directly on Mars.

Musk’s recent posts on The direct Mars strategy calls for more effective use of resources.

This assertive stance of Musk coincides with his advisory role in the Trump administration. In this context, Musk may be influential in space policy and NASA’s next leader selection. This has raised questions about the long-term viability of the program.

Although a complete cancellation of Artemis is not possible, significant revisions appear to be on the way. The Trump administration has advocated for more financially streamlined space exploration, echoing Musk’s concerns.

This change actually extends beyond NASA. It affects the US commercial space sector, the European Space Agency and other institutions investing in the Moon. Additionally, with China’s growing Moon ambitions, the stakes in the race for global space supremacy are likely to be high.