Why Artemis? Is a crewed moon mission worth the cost?

As NASA pushes forward with its Artemis program, questions continue to surface about the cost and necessity of returning humans to the moon more than 50 years after the Apollo era. The program is already facing significant headwinds. Artemis is now years behind schedule and tens of billions of dollars over budget, with total spending estimated at $93 billion from 2012 through 2025, according to NASA’s Office of Inspector General. Some experts argue the effort is about more than exploration. They say the United States risks falling behind in a rapidly evolving space race with global economic and geopolitical stakes.