NASA’s Artemis program website has removed diversity-related language following unexpected website changes influenced by the Donald Trump Administration. NASA’s Artemis program has been perceived as the next big thing in the world of science, to tap into another segment of taking human beings back to the moon for space explorations. However, this time around, NASA wanted to do something different, to land the first woman and person of colour on the moon, something that we have never seen before. With excitement stimulating and science enthusiasts talking about it, NASA removed the information from its website.
The removal sparked conversations and speculations that the agency has changed its mind. The sudden change in NASA’s Artemis program, its objectives and how it wants to diversify its program got many wondering why. Could this be about an alteration of their program, a change of goals, or could it be linked to the notion of diversity and inclusion? Or is it political?
This is what was removed from NASA’s website
NASA’s Artemis website, according to MSN News, expressed how it wants to promote diversity and that it will not look like the Apollo program that landed 12 white men on the lunar surface between 1969 and 1972. Now, featured information about landing the first woman and person of colour for their space exploration mission has been removed, but why?
The overall and direct reason has not been explained. But because it has not gone unnoticed, NASA is now making headlines. Experts have provided various reasons, such as policy changes, budget constraints, and internal restructuring, while other sources, such as NDTV World, said NASA spokesperson Allard Beutel expressed that this decision has been made to keep in line “with the President’s executive order.”
Unfortunately for NASA, this is not a minor issue that can be swept under the carpet, despite that the decision was out of their control, if it is true that they were influenced by the current government’s administration, it is something that the nation and world will hold on to because inclusivity is something the world has been working on, and huge agencies such as NASA are expected to follow suit.
Does this indicate that NASA is silently terminating its moon mission?
NASA is quite quiet and has not expressed anything about cancellations. Indeed, a NASA spokesperson stated that “the change in language does not indicate a change in crew assignments.” However, the cancellation of space exploration projects is not new. They have been transpiring for a while now; therefore, if it happens that NASA cancels the Artemis program, it will be sad and quite expected at the same time. It will not be the first time either to cancel a space exploration project.
NASA is not the only one. A number of US businesses have reversed their DEI policy
A number of United States companies have reverted their DEI policies the day they learnt and confirmed that President Donald Trump will be returning to office at the White House. According to a report by NDTV World, companies such as Meta, McDonald’s, Google, and Amazon have either reduced or eliminated their DEI programs and initiatives.
The president has made a direct expression that “diversity” information, content and programs are to be removed, which led the US Defence to delete all their diversity information from the Pentagon, states NDTV World. Now that NASA’s program is hanging, it has still raised many eyebrows; additionally, their leadership team is in suspense as they do not know what the next step will be. Because the program is already facing political issues before it takes ground, there is a possibility that NASA’s mission to go to the moon will not transpire, and perhaps no one will return to the moon as planned. We just wait and see what the end result will be.