The US will send an international astronaut to the lunar surface by the end of the decade, VP Kamala Harris is expected to announce at the National Space Council meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
The third meeting of the council under the Biden administration will focus on international partnerships, including using space to bolster American leadership worldwide and building a global coalition to return to the Moon, according to a White House fact sheet.
Artemis 101: This year, NASA announced the four astronauts—including Canadian Jeremy Hansen—who would fly on the Artemis II mission to go around the Moon. But Harris’ announcement means that non-US astronauts will also fly on future Artemis missions that actually touch down on the lunar surface.
The White House did not announce which Artemis flight would include an international participant. Artemis III, which would be the first crewed mission to the Moon’s surface in more than 50 years, is expected to launch in December 2025.
The Accords: Harris will announce a commitment to growing the Artemis Accords from the 33 nations who have signed on so far. The guidelines are designed to provide a venue for nations to discuss the responsible use of space (and are a prereq for countries that may eventually want to participate in the Artemis program), but so far, haven’t produced any concrete outcomes. Harris directed the government to work on “tangible next steps” on implementing the accords.
To further bolster international cooperation, the State Department will name a science envoy for space next year to build relationships with foreign researchers and highlight the importance of space science.
Novel space next steps: The White House is releasing an executive order on novel space activities to complement the legislative proposal it announced last month.
The framework takes several steps, including:
- Establishing a Private Sector Space Activities Interagency Steering Group led by the secretaries of the Commerce and Transportation Departments.
- Urging the Commerce and Transportation Departments to “minimize burdens on industry” as much as possible.
It’s not a substitute for passing legislation, however. Only Congress can make the changes proposed by the White House last month, including giving the Transportation Department oversight of all crewed missions in orbit while leaving the authorization of other novel space tech, such as in-space servicing, to the Commerce Department.
Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
