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The US space agency has dropped DEI-focused language in response to Trump’s executive order
NASA has removed its public commitment to landing both the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon as part of its Artemis lunar program.
This adjustment aligns with former US President Donald Trump’s initiative to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies across all federal agencies.
Artemis aims to achieve the first human lunar landing since 1972. Previously, the space agency stated on its website that it would land “the first woman, the first person of color, and the first international partner astronaut” on the Moon’s surface.
NASA has since updated the Artemis webpage, removing any diversity references. The revised statement indicates that Artemis III will “send the first humans to explore the lunar South Pole region.” The exact timing of these edits is unclear. British science journalist Oliver Morton initially noted the changes, which the Orlando Sentinel reported on Friday.
“In accordance with the president’s executive order, we are updating the language used when discussing plans to send a crew to the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign,” a NASA spokesperson stated. “We anticipate learning more about the Trump administration’s plans for our agency and expanding exploration at the Moon and Mars for the benefit of all.”
The Artemis II crew, set to conduct a lunar flyby in 2026 without landing, still features female astronaut Christina Koch and African American astronaut Victor Glover.
NASA has faced prior accusations of lacking diversity, earning a reputation for being dominated by “old, white men,” according to The Guardian. All astronauts who walked on the Moon during the Apollo missions were white men. In recent years, NASA initiated its ‘Diversity in Employment Opportunities’ program, which remains listed on its official website.
In January, Trump signed an executive order with the goal of dismantling DEI programs and “restoring merit-based” hiring practices. Following this directive, the space agency has begun to dissolve its Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity.
“These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination,” NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro wrote in a January memo to employees, which SpaceNews obtained.