US President Donald Trump has stated that sending humans to Mars is an interesting goal but not a priority for his administration. Stating in an interview with Fox News that manned Mars missions would be a great success, Trump stated that this was not high on his priority list.
Donald Trump has not prioritised going to Mars
These statements coincided with the discussion of allegations that there could be serious cuts in NASA’s budget. It is claimed that NASA’s $7.3 billion science budget could be halved in the White House’s fiscal year 2026 budget.
In response to these allegations, which caused concern in the scientific community, the American Astronomical Society argued that such a cut would cause the US to lose its scientific leadership to its international competitors.
It is technically impossible for Donald Trump to realise a manned Mars mission during his second and final presidential term. The next available mission window to Mars will open in autumn 2026.
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However, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said that at best, they could be ready to send an uncrewed Starship vehicle to Mars during this period. The earliest possible date for a manned Mars landing is 2029, but this date coincides with the time after Trump’s term in office.
NASA officials emphasised that the budget cut claims on the agenda are mere speculation. Jared Isaacman, Trump’s nominee for NASA director, says some space missions need to be reviewed. Isaacman said that more budget should be allocated to planetary defence and demanded that existing resources be directed to this area.
