NASA's "Mission Equity" initiative was described as "a comprehensive effort to assess expansion and modification of agency programs, procurements, grants, and policies, and examine what potential barriers and challenges exist for communities that are historically underrepresented and underserved" when it was launched in June 2021 on orders from the Biden White House.
In other words, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) has become the standard by which NASA makes choices.
Eric Schmitt from Missouri and Ted Cruz from Texas, two Republican senators, rightfully criticized NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and what Schmitt called the "misguided woke policies related to climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion" put forth by the Biden administration during a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee in May of this year.
President Biden tweeted about the new Artemis program, referring to "Artemis" as the twin sister of the Greek god Apollo: "This ship will enable the first woman and the first person of color to set foot on the lunar surface."
Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized in a speech to the National Space Council that "The Artemis Program will return American astronauts to the Lunar surface, and as Madam Director mentioned, it will include the first woman and person of color."
When it comes to sending American astronauts back to the moon, the Biden White House and the NASA agency that is under its authority appear to be driven by identity politics.
With the launch of Artemis III, NASA hopes to go back to the moon at the earliest in 2026. Four astronauts will travel on that voyage on the Orion spacecraft.
Read also: NASA Puts the Brakes on Lithium Mining at Site Used to Calibrate Satellites
Biden and Identity Politics
Some critics have accused Biden of using identity politics to advance his own agenda. They argue that he is more interested in making a statement about diversity than in actually achieving his goal of returning to the moon.
Others argue that Biden is simply being realistic about the need to attract a diverse pool of talent if the Artemis program is to succeed.
There is no doubt that identity politics has played a role in Biden's approach to the Artemis program. However, it is important to note that he is not the only one who has used this approach. The Trump administration also made diversity a priority for its space program, and it appointed several women and people of color to key positions.
Ultimately, the question of whether or not Biden is using identity politics to advance his own agenda is a matter of opinion. However, there is no doubt that he is committed to making sure that the Artemis program is inclusive and representative of all Americans.
Related article: NASA, SpaceX Eye Potential Orbital Boost To Add Years of Operational Life to Hubble Space Telescope
