Elon Musk: Why don’t we go to Mars instead of the moon?

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wants NASA to focus on a direct mission to Mars and has criticized the Artemis program, a return mission to the moon.

Musk has openly criticized NASA for the Artemis program, describing it as a costly and ineffective effort that is more about creating jobs than achieving tangible results. Instead of going back to the moon, he emphasizes a direct strategy to Mars, which he believes is a better use of resources.

Although SpaceX has several agreements with NASA for the Artemis program, Musk’s change of position suggests that he considers the moon landing program unnecessary. This view was raised while Musk had an advisory role in the Trump administration and could influence space policies and the selection of NASA’s next leader.

Musk’s recent posts on the X social network reflect these criticisms, and some have even suggested the possibility of reviewing the Artemis program. However, complete abolition of Artemis is unlikely. However, Musk’s concerns and the Trump administration’s support for more sustainable space exploration could lead to significant revisions to the program.

This change of perspective is not limited to NASA and could also affect the US space industry, the European Space Agency and other organizations that have invested in the moon. At the same time, as China’s space ambitions to conquer the moon increase, the competition for supremacy in global space has reached a critical point.