Trump Resets US Space Policy, Targets Moon Landing by 2028

President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order resetting US civil, commercial and national security space policy, committing the country to land astronauts on the Moon by 2028, establish the first elements of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030, and transition low Earth orbit operations away from the International Space Station in favor of commercial platforms within the same decade.

The order, titled “Ensuring American Space Superiority,” was issued hours after private astronaut and entrepreneur Jared Isaacman was sworn in as NASA’s 15th administrator. It marks the first major space policy initiative of Trump’s second term and consolidates space policy coordination under the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, led by presidential science adviser Michael Kratsios.

According to the directive, the accelerated Moon landing deadline is intended to “return Americans to the lunar surface within this decade” and to establish the Moon as a sustained operational domain rather than a symbolic destination. The document calls for the “establishment of initial elements of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030,” reinforcing NASA’s Artemis program while compressing its development schedule.

The 2028 target revives a goal first set during Trump’s initial term, when the administration pushed for a lunar landing by 2024—an objective widely viewed within the space industry as unrealistic. That timeline was subsequently delayed due to development and testing challenges involving NASA’s Space Launch System and SpaceX’s Starship, a cornerstone of the planned lunar lander architecture. Under previous administrations, NASA’s formal Artemis landing target had already shifted to 2028.

Geopolitical competition features prominently in the order, which cites China’s stated goal of conducting its first crewed Moon landing by 2030. The White House frames the accelerated Artemis schedule as critical to preserving U.S. leadership in space exploration and the broader space economy.

The directive also defines space as a contested national security domain. It instructs the Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies to develop a comprehensive space security strategy capable of detecting, tracking and countering threats “from very low Earth orbit through cislunar space.” The order includes explicit language on monitoring and countering attempts to place nuclear weapons in orbit and calls for demonstrations of next-generation missile defense technologies by 2028 under the administration’s “Golden Dome for America” initiative.

Commercial space development is another central pillar of the order. It directs the creation of a pathway to replace the ISS with commercially operated space stations by 2030, signaling a decisive shift away from government-owned orbital infrastructure. Under this model, NASA would act as an anchor customer rather than the owner and operator of low Earth orbit platforms.

The administration also set a goal of attracting at least US$50 billion in additional private investment into U.S. space markets by 2028. The effort is to be supported by expanded launch infrastructure, regulatory reforms and changes to spectrum management. The Commerce Department is tasked with asserting US leadership in global space spectrum allocation to support market access for American technologies.

The order mandates procurement reforms at NASA and the Department of Commerce. Major programs running more than 30% over budget or behind schedule must be flagged, and within six months both agencies are required to overhaul acquisition processes to prioritize fixed-price contracts, commercial solutions and alternative mechanisms such as Space Act Agreements. The directive also seeks to standardize procurement practices across NASA centers to reduce duplication and accelerate decision-making.