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NASA eliminates diversity pledge from lunar program
(MENAFN) NASA has quietly removed its commitment to landing the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under the Artemis lunar program, aligning with President Donald Trump’s directive to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies across federal agencies.
Originally, NASA’s Artemis mission statement promised to send “the first woman, the first person of color, and the first international partner astronaut” to the lunar surface. However, the updated version now simply states that Artemis III will send the first humans to explore the lunar South Pole region, without any mention of diversity. The change was first reported by the Orlando Sentinel after being spotted by British science journalist Oliver Morton.
A NASA spokesperson confirmed the update, stating that the agency is adjusting its language to comply with the president’s executive order and looks forward to working with the administration on expanding Moon and Mars exploration.
The Artemis II mission, scheduled for 2026, will still feature female astronaut Christina Koch and African American astronaut Victor Glover, though they will only perform a lunar flyby rather than landing.
NASA has historically faced criticism for a lack of diversity, with past Apollo Moon missions being entirely crewed by white men. In recent years, the agency launched initiatives to promote diversity in employment, but those programs are now being dismantled following Trump’s January executive order to eliminate DEI initiatives and restore merit-based hiring.
NASA’s Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity is in the process of being dissolved, with acting administrator Janet Petro stating that such programs “divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and led to discrimination."
Originally, NASA’s Artemis mission statement promised to send “the first woman, the first person of color, and the first international partner astronaut” to the lunar surface. However, the updated version now simply states that Artemis III will send the first humans to explore the lunar South Pole region, without any mention of diversity. The change was first reported by the Orlando Sentinel after being spotted by British science journalist Oliver Morton.
A NASA spokesperson confirmed the update, stating that the agency is adjusting its language to comply with the president’s executive order and looks forward to working with the administration on expanding Moon and Mars exploration.
The Artemis II mission, scheduled for 2026, will still feature female astronaut Christina Koch and African American astronaut Victor Glover, though they will only perform a lunar flyby rather than landing.
NASA has historically faced criticism for a lack of diversity, with past Apollo Moon missions being entirely crewed by white men. In recent years, the agency launched initiatives to promote diversity in employment, but those programs are now being dismantled following Trump’s January executive order to eliminate DEI initiatives and restore merit-based hiring.
NASA’s Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity is in the process of being dissolved, with acting administrator Janet Petro stating that such programs “divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and led to discrimination."
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