In a surprising turn of events, NASA has rescinded its pledge to land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, a cornerstone promise of its ambitious Artemis program that aims to return humans to the moon by 2027. This decision follows recent directives from the Trump administration aimed at diminishing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices across federal agencies.

Previously, NASA’s Artemis campaign prominently featured a commitment to these diversity goals. The agency's website once proudly stated, “NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the Moon using innovative technologies.” However, the language has now been amended, omitting those groundbreaking aspirations entirely.

NASA spokesperson Allard Beutel coyly attributed this shift to an executive order from the president, reaffirming the agency's commitment to updating its communication during this period of change. “We look forward to learning more from [and] about the Trump administration’s plans for our agency,