The presidential seal had been a fixture in Joe Biden’s Oval Office since the beginning of his presidency.
Upon taking the presidential oath in January, the moon rock obtained from the historic Apollo missions has been noticeably absent. Recent pictures of Trump at his desk show that the moon rock has been taken down from the shelf beside him where it had been displayed for the past four years.
Of course, new presidents often redecorate the White House to fit their personal style. In this scenario, it seems that Trump has chosen not to keep the moon rock lent to the White House, which originally occupied a spot in his Oval Office.
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A NASA spokesperson validated the information to USA TODAY last Friday, confirming that is due to be transported back to NASA headquarters this month.
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A fragment of the Moon has been on display in the Oval Office since 2021.
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The mission’s designated area for exploration.
on the moon’s nearside.
Once it arrives at NASA’s headquarters, the moon rock will be transferred to the Johnson Space Center, where it will be safely stored, an agency spokesperson explained.
Space travel and exploration have been subjects of interest for many individuals. Two notable figures, Donald Trump and Elon Musk, have gained attention in recent years for their initiatives related to these areas. Prioritizing the development of missions to Mars, both have made public declarations about their objectives.
As part of its efforts to strengthen international cooperation and relations, the United States has set a goal to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable presence by 2024. The next mission after the Moon, which is to be sent in the late 2020s, will attempt to land astronauts on Mars.
To aid in the future exploration and settlement of the Red Planet, NASA plans to conduct a number of robotic missions to Mars in the coming years. The current Mars 2020 rover was sent to Mars to mark the second successful landing of a spacecraft on the planet’s surface since 2012.
Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, envisions a future where humans hail from both Earth and Mars within the next 20-30 years. To achieve this goal, his company is seeking to make significant advancements in the field of rocket technology, providing capability to transport people to Mars and return them safely.
Elon Musk has publically stated, “He wants to die on Mars, just not on impact.” This sentiment reflects the significance he attaches to human progress on the planet, which may hold value as a historically written account in the last great frontier of human exploration.
Sean Baker explains, “It’s huge. It sets the bar high in many areas.” As a founding member of the website 100 Year Starship Life Support Subsystem Study, he underlines the importance of considering human life and its possibilities on Mars in the coming decades.
US Astronauts Plan to Return to Lunar Surface, Possibly by 2027 as Early as, and Then Set Course for Mars.
Accessing the water would not only support their life on the surface, it would also provide a vital source of hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel.
A team hired by NASA is preparing to travel to the moon this year with the aim of making it easier for humans to return in the future.
During his initial address, Trump actually sidestepped NASA’s long-term plans for the moon while highlighting his vision for humans setting foot on Mars during his second term as president.
As the curtains closed after the show.
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Arriving on the lunar surface from the Orion capsule.
Musk, who has previously clashed with federal regulators over Starship launches, is planning to intensify testing of the spacecraft in 2025.
, USA TODAY
Eric Lagatta works as a national Breaking and Trending News reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach out to him at elagatta@gannett.com.
This report originally appeared on USA TODAY:
