Houston, Texas – As discussions continue about NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration campaign, two former government officials presented conflicting viewpoints to a House committee, emphasizing the importance of a return to the moon as a stepping stone for future human missions to Mars.
During a hearing held by the House Science Committee’s space subcommittee on February 26, Scott Pace, the former executive secretary of the National Space Council, advocated for an early transition away from reliance on the Space Launch System (SLS). On the other hand, Dan Dumbacher, a former deputy associate administrator for exploration at NASA, expressed skepticism about SpaceX’s Starship’s ability to land humans on the moon by the end of the decade.
Pace stressed the need for U.S. leadership in human space exploration missions to be sustainable and repeatable, highlighting the importance of reusable elements and utilization of in-space resources. He raised concerns about the expense and lack of reusability of the SLS within NASA’s current Artemis architecture, suggesting the exploration of alternatives for lunar missions.
In contrast, Dumbacher criticized NASA’s plan to rely on Starship for lunar landings, questioning the feasibility of conducting approximately 35 to 40 Starship launches to demonstrate the capability for crewed missions by 2030. He proposed rapid development of a new, simplified lander that could be ready before the Chinese plan to land astronauts on the moon by 2030.
Both officials concurred that a return to the moon was crucial for the success of later Mars missions. They agreed on the importance of prioritizing lunar exploration before embarking on crewed missions to Mars. The committee members also emphasized the geopolitical competition with China in the race back to the moon, with Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-Fla.) emphasizing the importance of the United States winning this competition.
Overall, the hearing highlighted the differing perspectives on NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration campaign and the challenges posed by reliance on existing systems like the SLS. As discussions continue on reshaping the Artemis program for long-term sustainability and success, the debate between transitioning away from the SLS and exploring alternative approaches remains a key point of contention among experts and lawmakers.