Nasa shake-up casts doubt on moon programme, as Musk and Trump turn to Mars
The US space agency is losing four senior officials, insiders say, including a key defender of the Artemis missions
Nasa is losing four key senior officials close to its flagship moon programme, according to people familiar with the changes, adding more uncertainty over the agency’s space exploration trajectory as Elon Musk and President Donald Trump play up missions to Mars.
Jim Free, Nasa’s associate administrator who has been a central voice defending the agency’s Artemis moon programme, will retire effective on Saturday, the agency said in a statement on Wednesday.
And in Huntsville, Alabama, three key officials at Nasa’s Marshall Space Flight Centre – one of the agency’s 10 field centres and the epicentre of its Artemis moon programme – had their retirements announced internally on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the announcement.
Those roles at MSFC – chiefs of procurement, finance and information – were filled in an acting capacity by deputies and other Nasa officials, the source said. No replacement for Free was announced.
Nasa spokespeople did not return requests for comment.