NASA has removed references to diversity and inclusion from its Artemis III mission, eliminating its previous commitment to land the first woman and the first person of colour on the Moon.
The changes come in response to US President Donald Trump’s campaign to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies across all federal agencies.
The Artemis programme, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972, had previously stated on its official webpage that it would land “the first woman, the first person of colour, and the first international partner astronaut” on the Moon.
NASA has since updated its Artemis webpage, removing all references to diversity-related goals. The new mission statement now reads that Artemis III will “send the first humans to explore the lunar South Pole region”.
It remains unclear when the edits were made. However, in a statement, a NASA spokesperson confirmed that the changes were made in accordance with the president’s executive order.
“In keeping with the president’s executive order, we’re updating our language regarding plans to send crew to the lunar surface as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign,” the spokesperson stated.
“We look forward to learning more from [and] about the Trump administration’s plans for our agency and expanding exploration at the Moon and Mars for the benefit of all.”
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The Artemis II crew, which is set to conduct a lunar flyby without landing, includes female astronaut Christina Koch and African American astronaut Victor Glover.
However, the future of diversity commitments in subsequent missions remains unclear.
NASA has historically faced criticism for a lack of diversity, with reports noting that the agency was predominantly staffed by "old, white men”. All Apollo astronauts who walked on the Moon were white men, leading NASA to launch diversity initiatives in recent years.
Despite the recent removal of diversity language from the Artemis mission, NASA’s ‘Diversity in Employment Opportunities’ programme remains listed on its official website.
In January, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at dismantling DEI programmes, replacing them with "merit-based" hiring practices. In accordance with this directive, NASA has begun dissolving its Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity.
NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro, in a January memo to employees, defended the changes, stating: “These programmes divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination.”
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