U.S. President Donald Trump sees NASA's latest Artemis II mission to the moon as an 'America First' opportunity.
The first journey to deep space since 1972 comes at a crucial time in Donald Trump's presidency.
The mission is not just about expanding the influence on the lunar surface, as it also involves the ambitions to explore the valuable resources hidden on the Moon.
Why does it matter for Trump?
According to the former NASA administrator Sean O' Keefe, the Moon is no longer viewed as a “dust bowl” and “barren land” but as a repository of immense economic value, calling it a “lunar gold rush.”
The moon surface is known for containing a rare element called Helium-3, which “can be potentially used to operate small, compact nuclear fusion reactors with relatively long lifespans. That opens up all sorts of other opportunities,” said Keefe.
He also expressed that currently the element trades for over $20,000 per kg.
Moreover, the moon is quite important, as it also contains water ice (for rocket fuel) and rare earth minerals like lithium and platinum, which are essential for electronics and clean energy.
“The moon has water trapped in some of its minerals, and it also has substantial amounts of water at the poles," said Sara Russell, a planetary scientist at the Natural History Museum.
Sara also explained that if the U.S. becomes successful in accomplishing lunar mining, it could reduce its dependence on rare earth mineral markets in which China holds a dominant position and advance the 'America First' agenda.
