- Executive Proclamation: President Donald Trump signed “The American Declaration of Freedom in Space” on November 3, 2026.
- 2028 Target: Formally establishes the goal of returning American astronauts to the Moon by 2028.
- Permanent Presence: Mandates building sustainable American infrastructure for a permanent lunar footprint.
- Mars Horizon: Directs accelerated planning to ensure an American becomes the first human to land on Mars.
- Commercial Commercialization: Encourages space exploration, resource development, and permanent settlement by U.S. citizens under federal law and international obligations.
President Donald Trump signed a presidential proclamation titled “The American Declaration of Freedom in Space” on November 3, 2026, reaffirming the administration’s policy to expand American presence beyond Earth. The executive document sets official targets to return U.S. astronauts to the Moon by 2028, establish a permanent operational footprint on the lunar surface, and accelerate planning for a crewed mission to Mars.
The declaration asserts that outer space and the solar system remain open for exploration, commercial development, and resource utilization by all humanity. Concurrently, the text establishes that the United States intends to lead these efforts, securing the rights of American citizens and commercial entities to establish permanent off-world operations in alignment with domestic laws and international treaties.
Proclamation Outlines Space Exploration Mandates
In the proclamation, President Trump characterized outer space expansion as central to the nation’s historical trajectory, linking off-world commercialization to individual liberty and the establishment of an interplanetary civilization.
The text highlights historical milestones in American aerospace, referencing the Apollo 11 lunar landing and robotic exploration missions across Mars. It attributes ongoing technological advances to generations of aerospace engineers, scientists, and astronauts.
Furthermore, the administration signaled intent to expand commercial partnerships, increase private-sector industrial participation, and preserve overall U.S. dominance in the global space economy.
Reference to Artemis II and Artemis III Missions
The presidential declaration cites the Artemis II mission, characterized as a flight completed in April 2026 that carried astronauts around the Moon and established new deep-space distance records for crewed spaceflight.
The document also references Artemis III, pointing to a flight test campaign scheduled for mid-2027. The administration framed Artemis III as one of the most technically complex operational milestones in the history of the U.S. space program.
While omitting specific technical specifications, the proclamation leverages both Artemis milestones to establish policy continuity for upcoming deep-space objectives.
2028 Target Set for Sustainable Lunar Base
A primary mandate established in the declaration is returning U.S. astronauts to the lunar surface by 2028, alongside laying the infrastructure required for a permanent American presence on the Moon.
The plan is presented as part of a long-range strategic framework to expand deep-space operational capacity, harvest off-world resources, and construct facilities capable of supporting continuous human habitation.
The administration linked these objectives to scientific research, the expansion of the broader commercial space economy, and national security interests. Beyond the Moon, the document directs federal agencies to accelerate timelines for landing the first American on Mars, though no specific target date was codified for the Martian landing.
Commercial Industry and Citizen Participation
The proclamation explicitly directs federal policy to foster a competitive commercial space industry and incentivize U.S. private sector leadership in off-world economic activity.
The text asserts that outer space is open to exploration, resource extraction, utilization, and permanent settlement by American citizens and enterprise entities, provided such operations comply with federal statutes and international obligations.
This policy formulation combines an open-market philosophy with an explicit focus on preserving American technological and commercial leadership.
The declaration notes that the nation possessing the most advanced aerospace capacity, commercial space sector, and trained workforce will be best positioned for economic prosperity in coming centuries.
National Security and Strategic Leadership
The document further connects space industrialization directly to national security defense strategies. The administration asserts that constructing off-world infrastructure, processing local space resources, and maintaining operational dominance serve to safeguard national defense interests.
The proclamation frames space leadership as an integrated strategic, economic, and scientific mandate. It concludes by referencing foundational national principles, asserting that values such as faith and freedom must guide the American presence beyond Earth.
The formal signing occurred on November 3, 2026, establishing an executive policy roadmap for U.S. space activity. Realizing these targets—including the 2028 lunar return, permanent base infrastructure, and crewed Mars preparation—will depend on upcoming technical, financial, and regulatory milestones.
Source: The White House.
