New 'showdown' brewing between Elon Musk and Congress over pet project: report

In 1969, Neil Armstrong — as part of Apollo 11, along with fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin — became the first person to walk on the moon.

Now, lawmakers in Congress are hoping to see an American return to the surface of the moon in 2027. But Tesla/SpaceX CEO Elon Musk believes that NASA should prioritize exploration of Mars — which, according to Politico's Sam Skove, could lead to a "potential showdown" between the Donald Trump ally and lawmakers.

Skove reported Monday, "President-elect Donald Trump has, at least for now, stayed out of the fray. His first administration launched NASA's plans to land on the moon, but he has also pressed the agency on why it can't go directly to Mars."

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Musk, Skove noted, considers the moon a "distraction" from exploration of Mars. But Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX) disagrees.

Skove told Politico, "To bypass the moon would be a mistake."

Similarly, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a former astronaut, is opposed to abandoning Artemis — NASA's plan to return to the moon.

Kelly told Politico, "We have put a lot of time, effort and money into Artemis, and I think we should allow NASA to complete that mission."