Is NASA still Moonbound, or will the next giant leap mean skipping straight to Mars?
Speculation is mounting that the Trump administration may scale back or cancel NASA's Artemis missions following the departure of a key official and Boeing's decision to lay off hundreds of employees working on its lunar rocket.
Late Wednesday, NASA abruptly announced the retirement of longtime associate administrator Jim Free, effective Saturday.
No reason was given for Free's departure after his 30-year rise to NASA's top civil-service position. However, he was a strong advocate for Artemis, which aims to return crews to the Moon, establish a sustained presence, and use that experience to prepare for a Mars mission.
Though Artemis was conceived in President Donald Trump's first term, he has openly mused about bypassing the Moon and heading straight to Mars—a notion gaining traction as Elon Musk, the world's richest person and SpaceX's owner, becomes a key ally and advisor.
I would say do both.
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