The first journey to deep space since 1972 comes at a crucial time in Donald Trump’s presidency.
The US is bitterly divided on topics ranging from the ongoing US strikes in Iran to immigration and the economy.
So a successful Artemis mission, sending four astronauts to the Moon on Wednesday, could give Trump’s administration a boost. The potential benefits are huge – a competitive edge with China, the possibility of a lunar gold rush, and a rare moment of national unity.
Officially, the mission – which will take the crew further into space than anyone has ever been before – is a stepping stone, Nasa says, towards a permanent lunar base and eventually, Mars.
‘Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars’
While US interest in returning to the Moon pre-dates his entry into politics, Trump directly created what became Artemis in his first term, vowing to “launch American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars”. He also saw military opportunities and launched a new arm of the Pentagon, Space Force.
