Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has declared a "golden age of space transportation" and plans to significantly increase rocket launches through partnerships with private companies. This initiative aims to solidify U.S. space dominance amid competition from countries like China.
On August 20, the White House announced that President Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) to revitalize America's leading position in space transportation. The memorandum sets a goal of achieving over 1,000 rocket launches and re-entries annually by 2030, nearly six times the 178 launches recorded last year, according to Reuters.
To facilitate this, the President directed relevant government agencies to encourage the joint development of space transportation infrastructure with the private sector and to expedite related permits and reviews. Additionally, he called for exploring commercial options for robotic operations on Mars and human round trips to the planet.
The White House stated, "At a time when adversaries threaten U.S. superiority in space, President Trump is securing and defending our key national and economic interests related to space."
Michael Kratsios, the White House Chief Technology Officer, commented on the memorandum, saying it aims to position the U.S. as a leader in the next era of space exploration, targeting the sending of Americans to the Moon by 2028 and establishing initial lunar base facilities by 2030, while ensuring rapid and reliable launch capabilities for national security through a commercial-first approach.
Previously, President Trump signed an executive order at the end of last year to send astronauts to the Moon by 2028 and establish a lunar base by 2030, with follow-up actions underway. In July, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced measures to exempt environmental reviews for launch infrastructure.
Meanwhile, since taking office last year, President Trump has frequently mentioned Mars exploration missions led by his key supporter, Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla. However, there have been calls in Congress for a focus on NASA's ongoing Artemis lunar exploration program.
Currently, SpaceX handles most of the U.S. government's rocket launches, and in May, FAA Administrator Brian Bedford noted that SpaceX aims for an annual launch target of 10,000 within the next five years.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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