If Neil Armstrong's arrival on the lunar surface in 1969 was "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," humanity is preparing for Donald Trump to make Artemis 2 a giant leap for himself. "The United States will have no rival in space or in anything we are doing, and we will continue leading this path to the stars, this incredible journey to the stars," said the US President to the astronauts who had just orbited the far side of the moon, reaching further into space than man has ever gone.
It was the first call from the US President to the crew, after ensuring the mission's success, while also sending a message to China, its main competitor in collaboration with Russia, in this remake of the space race to the moon: "Your mission paves the way for the US to return to the lunar surface very soon. You are all modern pioneers. You have a lot of courage to do what you are doing. You have made history and made all of America proud."
Artemis 2 did not land on the moon, but if Donald Trump's plan in his first term had been fulfilled, we would have seen astronauts walking on the Moon two years ago, in 2024. The new goal is 2028, although many experts consider the date too optimistic.
China, on the other hand, remains the only country to have successfully sent a rover to the far side of the Moon and even brought back samples to Earth. Both countries are now competing to set foot on our satellite before the other, and even planning permanent settlements.
Therefore, Trump took the opportunity to remind that the American flag will return to the lunar satellite "not just to leave footprints," but to establish "a permanent mission."
During his conversation with the astronauts, the US President even showed curiosity about details of the mission, and asked the astronauts what they felt during the 45 minutes they were out of communication with the Houston Control Center while visiting the far side of the Moon: "I said a little prayer, but then I continued recording. I was conducting scientific observations," pilot Victor Glove replied.
Canadian Jeremy Hansen thanked Trump for American "space leadership," but asked for efforts to reach a "beneficial goal" for both countries.
Trump also asked the crew members what was the most unforgettable part of this historic day, to which Commander Reid Weisman responded: "We saw things that no human had seen before, not even in the Apollo program."