NASA to Return to the Moon by 2028, Establish Lunar Base by 2030

President Trump signed an executive order directing NASA to return to the Moon by 2028 and establish a permanent lunar base by 2030. The order also calls for deploying nuclear power systems on the Moon and in orbit, and accelerating development of the Golden Dome missile defense program. The White House aims to attract $50 billion in private investment into US space markets by 2028. The order revokes the National Space Council and shifts coordination of national space policy to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.