Featured Image Credit: NASA
Topics: NASA, Moon, Space, Science, Technology
Niamh Shackleton
NASA has changed the wording on its website, sparking some to believe it has changed its Artemis mission plans.
Previously, the website said: "NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the Moon using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before."
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But now there's no mention of 'woman' or 'person of color', as well as international partners.
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The change comes following President Trump signing an executive order that ordered the removal of diversity, equity and inclusion pages from all federal websites — NASA included.
NASA site now reads: "With NASA’s Artemis campaign, we are exploring the Moon for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world as we prepare for human missions to Mars.
"We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon."
Many have since questioned if NASA has scrapped it's plans to send women and people of color to the Moon in the wake of the executive order, but Jimi Russell, Senior Public Affairs Officer at NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, has insisted otherwise.
"In keeping with the President’s Executive Order, we’re updating our language regarding plans to send crew to the lunar surface as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign," Russell said to IFLScience.
"We look forward to learning more about the Trump Administration’s plans for our agency and expanding exploration at the Moon and Mars for the benefit of all."
Elsewhere, it's been said that the change 'does not indicate' that the mission has changed.
A NASA spokesperson told UNILAD: "It is important to note that the change in language does not indicate a change in crew assignments."
They also added: "NASA remains committed to aligning with White House guidance and ensuring mission success."
Artemis II is slated to be sending four astronauts to the Moon in April 2026, which was initially set to take place this year, but had to be pushed back.
The trip will last ten days and will mark the first mission to the Moon in decades.
But, with Elon Musk and President Trump's obsession with Mars, NASA are having to push for Artemis II to remain on their agendas.
Lockheed Martin’s Kirk Shireman, head of its Orion spacecraft program, said: "Every day we are pushing, and not only days, we’re pushing hours and minutes."
He added, as per Orlando Sentinel: "If we can get ahead a minute, it’s precious. Absolutely. 24/7 we’re on every day."
Just yesterday (March 24), it was announced that Artemis II core stage integration was officially complete at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, so it seems as if positive steps are still being taken in a bid to achieve that April 2026 goal.