The Republican National Convention that took place in Milwaukee this week occurred in the wake of the attempted assassination of the once and likely future president, Donald Trump — an event that has become the defining moment of the 2024 election. However, a section tucked within the Republican platform will likely have more far-reaching effects than the shots that rang out in Butler, Pennsylvania, last Saturday.
In Chapter 3, which relates the Republican Party position on the economy, part of a section that deals with innovation and mentions space exploration stands out.
“Under Republican Leadership, the United States will create a robust Manufacturing Industry in Near Earth Orbit, send American Astronauts back to the Moon, and onward to Mars, and enhance partnerships with the rapidly expanding Commercial Space sector to revolutionize our ability to access, live in, and develop assets in Space,” it says.
That a major party platform would mention space is not unusual. As early as 1964, the Democratic Party platform stated:
“In four vigorous years we have moved to the forefront of space exploration. The United States must never again settle for second place in the race for tomorrow’s frontiers.
We will continue the rapid development of space technology for peaceful uses.
We will encourage private industry to increase its efforts in space research.
We will continue to ensure that any race in space is won for freedom and for peace.”
It should be noted that even a few months after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, his signature space initiative, the Apollo program, was not specifically mentioned.
The Republican language on space demonstrates how much the conversation has changed on the issue. Eight years ago, a pledge to go back to the moon and on to Mars would have been the butt of late-night jokes. Presidential candidates have tried to jump-start deep space human exploration programs only to see them die, not with a bang but with a whimper. In 2012, for example, then-presidential candidate Newt Gingrich proposed a commercial moon base. Rival candidate Mitt Romney ridiculed the idea in a debate, and it died along with Gingrich’s candidacy.
All of that began to change when former President Donald Trump started the Artemis program, the third attempt to send astronauts back to the moon and on to Mars, and appointed then-Rep. Jim Bridenstine as NASA administrator to begin it and, more importantly, sell it to Congress and the public.
When Trump lost the 2020 election, many in the chattering class believed that Artemis would die in the same way that the last two deep space programs did. Much to the surprise of all and the delight of most, President Joe Biden pledged to continue Artemis. Sending astronauts into deep space had become bipartisan, largely thanks to Bridenstine’s efforts.
The language in the Republican platform indicates that Artemis will continue during a potential second Trump administration. This is of no surprise as, next to border and economic policies, Artemis is a signature accomplishment for the former and perhaps future president. It is one that will be remembered for centuries in the future.
Two questions arise concerning the Republican platform’s space language.
The international aspect of Artemis is conspicuous by its absence. Not only are the Artemis Accords an integral part of the return to the moon, but NASA is scrambling to include international astronauts on future Artemis missions. Jeremy Hansen, a Canadian, is already part of the Artemis II flight to fly around the moon. NASA recently concluded an agreement to include Japanese astronauts on future Artemis moon landings,
The other question is, how will the Democrats react?
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While going back to the moon and on to Mars is as much Biden’s policy as it was Trump’s, Democrats are not united in its support. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is dubious, especially where the partnerships with commercial space barons such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are concerned. Sanders, ever the anti-capitalist, is not pleased with NASA’s money going to billionaire rocketeers.
Still, Democrats would be smart to include their own endorsement of space exploration in their party platform. They cannot yield to the GOP the mantle of party of the future.
Mark Whittington, who writes frequently about space policy, has published a political study of space exploration entitled Why is It So Hard to Go Back to the Moon? as well as The Moon, Mars and Beyond, and, most recently, Why is America Going Back to the Moon? He blogs at Curmudgeons Corner. He is published in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Hill, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post, among other venues.