A House Science Committee subcommittee hearing on February 26th featured contrasting viewpoints on the future of NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration campaign. Scott Pace, former executive secretary of the National Space Council, advocated for an early shift away from the Space Launch System (SLS), citing its high cost and lack of reusability. He suggested exploring alternatives, such as purchasing heavy-lift launch services, stating, “It’s time to consider alternatives for going from the Earth to the moon and back.” He added, “We need an off-ramp for reliance on the SLS.” Pace clarified that this wasn't a call for immediately scrapping the SLS, acknowledging that Artemis 2 and 3 are already under development. He proposed reevaluating the strategy by Artemis 4 to establish a more sustainable lunar presence.
Conversely, Dan Dumbacher, a former NASA deputy associate administrator, expressed skepticism about the reliance on SpaceX’s Starship for the initial Artemis missions. He questioned the feasibility of launching approximately 35 to 40 Starships by 2030 to accomplish both an uncrewed test mission and Artemis 3, including fuel transfer operations in low Earth orbit. He stated, “I ask this: can 40 launches, development and demonstration of the undeveloped and undemonstrated on-orbit rocket fuel station, and integration of a complex operational scenario across multiple systems all successfully occur by 2030? The probability of success for this plan is remote at best.” He proposed a faster development path for a simpler lunar lander as a potential solution.
Both Pace and Dumbacher emphasized the importance of returning humans to the moon as a stepping stone towards Mars missions. This aligns with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's interest in accelerating crewed Mars missions. However, Rep. Mike Haridopolos, chairman of the space subcommittee, framed the lunar mission as a geopolitical competition with China, declaring, “We are in a race to the moon, and America must win that race.” Rep. Valerie Foushee also acknowledged this competition but expressed concern over potential disruptions within NASA due to the previous administration’s actions.
The hearing highlighted the complexities and challenges facing NASA's ambitious goals, with differing opinions on the best approach to achieve a sustainable lunar presence and ultimately, pave the way for missions to Mars.