US Senate Approves $10B NASA Artemis Moon Funding Despite Musk Opposition

The US Senate has approved President Donald Trump's budget reconciliation bill, providing an additional $10 billion to NASA's Artemis Moon program. This funding prioritizes traditional aerospace projects, including more Space Launch System (SLS) rockets and the lunar Gateway station, despite criticism from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, who advocate for reusable rocket technology over the expensive, expendable SLS. While $4.1 billion is earmarked for SLS rockets for Artemis missions 4 and 5, $2.6 billion will support Gateway's completion, and $700 million is allocated for a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, with $1.25 billion for extended International Space Station operations. Musk has repeatedly criticized the SLS as wasteful, citing launch costs estimated at $2.5 billion each, and Isaacman questioned the program's long-term viability for frequent lunar and Martian travel. Despite these concerns, Congress and President Trump have chosen to proceed with the funding, highlighting ongoing tensions between traditional aerospace interests and advocates for newer, cost-effective space technologies.