Washington, Dec 19 (NationPress) US President Donald Trump has officially endorsed an executive order that outlines an “America First” strategy for space exploration. This order commits the United States to return to the Moon by 2028, establish a permanent lunar outpost by 2030, and enhance national security, commercial, and technological capabilities beyond our planet.

Titled Ensuring American Space Superiority, the executive order emphasizes that leadership in space is vital for national power, economic advancement, and security. It mandates federal agencies to synchronize their policies, budgets, and regulations to adopt a more assertive stance in orbit, cislunar space, and beyond, enhancing American space superiority.

According to the order, “Superiority in space is a measure of national vision and willpower,” linking US dominance in space to the strength, security, and prosperity of the nation. It advocates for policies that promote human discovery, safeguard essential interests, and stimulate commercial growth in American space superiority.

The newly announced policy prioritizes the human return to the Moon via NASA’s Artemis program by 2028, with plans to initiate elements of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030.

This executive order also emphasizes the need to enhance the sustainability and cost-efficiency of launch systems, focusing on enabling commercial launch services and expediting lunar exploration architectures to reinforce American space superiority.

It calls for the development of next-generation missile defense technologies by 2028, improved detection and countermeasures against threats to US space interests from low Earth orbit through cislunar space, and measures to prevent the deployment of nuclear weapons in space.

The administration is also looking to build a more agile national security space framework by speeding up acquisition reforms and integrating commercial space capabilities for American space superiority.

A fact sheet released by the White House indicates that this order aims to cultivate a “vibrant commercial space economy,” targeting an infusion of at least $50 billion in private investments into US space markets by 2028.

The plan encompasses modernizing launch and reentry infrastructure, enhancing efficiency through policy reforms, and establishing a commercial path to replace the International Space Station by 2030.

This directive also underscores advanced technologies, including the deployment of nuclear reactors on the Moon and in orbit, with a lunar surface reactor expected to be ready for launch by 2030.

It advocates for improved space-based weather forecasting, enhanced positioning and navigation services, superior space traffic management, and robust orbital debris mitigation to ensure the long-term sustainability of space operations for American space superiority.

The order further fortifies cooperation with allies and partners regarding collective space security, and instructs the State Department to support US policy objectives in international civil space arrangements.