Trump Relocates Lunar Rock from Oval Office, Returns it to NASA's Custody
In 1972, two NASA astronauts brought a piece of the Moon to Earth, where it resided in the White House Oval Office for four years, symbolizing America's lunar ambitions. Subsequently, under the new administration, this lunar relic was replaced with an urn, possibly hinting at the administration's aspirations beyond the Moon. Recent images revealed the Moon rock's removal as part of President Trump's White House redesign.
Trump, during his inaugural speech, pledged to set foot on Mars, disregarding NASA's plans to land astronauts on the Moon by 2027. NASA, in 2021, loaned a sample from this lunar voyage to the Biden administration, a testament to their joint efforts in exploring the lunar surface and furthering their Moon-to-Mars strategy.
Information on a large boulder, where the Moon rock sample was chipped by Apollo 17 astronauts, Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan, comes from NASA. This fragment, weighing less than a pound, was likely formed during a significant impact on the Moon nearly 4 billion years ago. After its White House stint, the Moon rock display was returned to NASA.
However, the circumstances surrounding the Moon rock's removal from the Oval Office remain unclear, along with the connection to the current administration's space policies. Trump also reinstated some White House decorations from his predecessor's term, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Post-appointment, NASA faced challenges navigating the new administration's executive orders. The president's inaugural speech did not mention the Moon but commenced the ambitious goal of "launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars." NASA has consistently emphasized a Moon-to-Mars approach, where the lunar surface acts as a testing ground for future Mars expeditions in the 2030s.
In contrast, Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, advocated for a more aggressive Mars plan, involving an immediate Mars landing. Musk's influence on the administration, evident through the selection of private astronaut Jared Isaacman as NASA's administrator, may have influenced the administration's lean towards the commercial industry's space exploration methods.
As the Oval Office undergoes an aesthetic transformation, the lunar rock's departure could be symbolic of the administration's Mars-centric focus. While the lunar sample has successfully traversed thousands of miles from the Moon to Earth, a return to the lunar surface is a topic of debate.
References:
[1] NASA. (n.d.). Lunar sample return. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/specials/lunar-sample-return/
[2] The Washington Post. (2017, July 20). In a surprising blast from the past, Elon Musk is back advocating for a manned Mars mission. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/07/20/in-a-surprising-blast-from-the-past-elon-musk-is-back-advocating-for-a-manned-mars-mission/
[5] Badyal, H. (2019, July 16). Trump's Space Council wants to etch "humanity's destiny" into the face of Mars. Retrieved from https://theverge.com/2019/7/16/20698371/trumps-space-council-humanitys-destiny-mars-red-planet-settlement-spacex-nasa
The administration's focus on Mars, as evident in President Trump's inaugural speech, aligns with NASA's Moon-to-Mars strategy, using the lunar surface as a test ground for future Mars expeditions. With Elon Musk's influence and SpaceX's commercial space exploration methods, technology and science are expected to play a significant role in achieving this future goal in space.
