Trump issues proclamation to lead US space exploration and settlement
The American Declaration of Freedom in Space aims for a permanent lunar presence by 2028 and eventual human missions to Mars.
US President Donald Trump has issued a proclamation titled "The American Declaration of Freedom in Space", stating the US will lead the exploration, development, use and settlement of space, according to The Times of India.
The proclamation promises a return to the Moon by 2028, a permanent American lunar presence, and a human mission to Mars, linking space leadership to national security and economic prosperity.
Susmita Mohanty, director general of space think tank Spaceport SARABHAI, said the declaration frames a domain belonging to all humanity as a sphere for American dominance. She noted that China has completed six lunar missions since 2007 and aims to land astronauts by 2030.
Lt Gen AK Bhat (retd), director-general of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), said the proclamation signals a shift towards competing frameworks, dividing groups into the Artemis-led and the ILRS-led (China-Russia) groups.
Bhat said the proclamation could sow seeds for future contests and confrontation regarding space colonisation and ownership. He added that the document aligns US policy for the future regardless of whether it is viewed as political rhetoric.
India signed the Artemis Accords in June 2023 and was invited by Nasa in August 2026 to join its Moon Base programme. India's Space Vision 2047 includes a human Moon landing by 2040.
