NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said Friday that the United States is on track to return to the moon during President Donald Trump’s second term. Isaacman, who has close ties to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, emphasized that renewed lunar exploration is crucial for developing the “orbital economy” and unlocking scientific, economic, and national security opportunities.
Speaking publicly for one of the first times since his recent Senate confirmation, Isaacman highlighted plans for a moon base, space data centers, infrastructure projects, and potential Helium-3 mining, a rare isotope that could fuel future fusion energy. NASA is collaborating with contractors including SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Boeing as part of its Artemis program, which also serves as a steppingstone for eventual Mars missions. The Artemis II mission, NASA’s first crewed test flight aboard the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, is expected soon, followed by Artemis III, for which SpaceX is building the lunar landing system. Isaacman noted that advances in reusable heavy-lift rockets and on-orbit fuel transfer will make lunar travel more frequent and affordable, laying the groundwork for deeper space exploration.
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