Despite cost overruns and delays, NASA's heavy-lift rocket touted as essential to beat China to the Moon.

As newly appointed chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Texas representative Brian Babin is doubling down on his support for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), calling it the only viable path for the U.S. to return to the Moon ahead of China. Amid ongoing debates over commercial alternatives like SpaceX's Starship, the senator insists that the SLS remains essential.

While private companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX will play a role in future space exploration, Babin doubts they will be ready in time for Artemis III in 2027.

The new presidential administration has introduced further scrutiny to the Boeing-built rocket, which has faced significant cost increases over the duration of the program. Nonetheless, Babin emphasized that the rocket is essential for preserving American leadership in the space race, ensuring national security, and supporting employment across 44 states.

"There's no other way we're going to get back to the surface of the Moon before the Chinese without the SLS. It's not going to happen," he told Payload in an exclusive interview.

Babin has a long to-do list that includes streamlining regulations to ensure private-sector innovation is unhindered, and passing a NASA authorization bill and commercial space act, both of which were previously introduced to Congress but failed.

"We don't want to be tethered to Earth by red tape," he said.

SLS and national security

NASA

Texas representative and newly appointed chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Brian Babin believes that cutting NASA's Space Launch System in favor of commercial solutions could jeopardize the U.S.'s ability to reestablish a sustained lunar presence before geopolitical rivals do.

Space Policy Directive 1 (SPD-1) is a U.S. space policy issued by President Trump on Dec. 11, 2017, directing NASA to return American astronauts to the Moon as a key step toward future crewed missions to Mars and beyond. It shifted NASA's focus away from deep-space destinations like asteroids and back to a sustainable lunar presence as a stepping stone for further space exploration.

SPD-1 emphasizes public-private partnerships and international collaboration to achieve long-term human presence on the Moon, resource utilization, and the development of technologies needed for Mars exploration. This directive ultimately led to the creation of NASA's Artemis program.

From a strategic standpoint, Rep. Babin warns that losing the race to the Moon could have long-term consequences, as the first nation to establish operations on the lunar surface will have the power to set precedents and potentially control access to critical resources. China taking the lead could give the country significant geopolitical and technological advantages, potentially limiting U.S. access to critical resources and ceding space dominance to an adversarial power.

Additionally, Babin sees a strong U.S. lunar presence as vital for deterring potential militarization of space and ensuring that its exploration follows democratic principles, stressing that relying solely on commercial providers, which have yet to prove their reliability for crewed lunar missions, is too risky. The SLS, despite its challenges, remains the most reliable path to achieving NASA's Artemis goals on schedule.

Commercial vs. SLS

While some proponents of commercial spaceflight argue that SpaceX's Starship could take over SLS's mission at a fraction of the cost, Babin remains skeptical that private-sector solutions will be ready in time. He acknowledges that private space companies are making impressive strides playing an increasing role in space exploration but insists the SLS remains the most dependable vehicle for achieving near-term lunar objectives.

According to Babin, placing all bets on an unproven commercial system is not prudent until Starship and similar vehicles demonstrate their reliability and safety for human missions.

"Will that be ready to go in time to be the next humans to land on the surface of the Moon ahead of the Red Chinese? No, I just don't think so," he said. "I think SLS will be the way that we get there."

Space Policy Directive 1

NASA

The Trump administration has increased scrutiny of the Boeing-built rocket, which has faced significant delays and cost increases over the duration of the program.

There has been ongoing debate about whether NASA should continue using the Moon as a stepping stone or attempt a direct leap to Mars. While Trump and Musk have expressed a desire to prioritize Mars, Babin underscores that it was the president's SPD-1 that formally committed the U.S. to return to the Moon.

Babin highlights the Moon's potential for long-term scientific and economic benefits, firstly as a testing ground for future Mars missions but also to help secure resources that could play a role in energy production and space logistics.

Babin acknowledged uncertainties within U.S. space policy. One major question is whether the National Space Council, which was instrumental in shaping policy during Trump's first term, will be reinstated under the new administration. Without clear guidance from the executive branch, Congress, NASA, and the private sector may struggle to align their efforts effectively.

To clarify the administration's stance, Babin is arranging a meeting with Vice President Vance, who would likely play a key role in shaping national space policy. His goal is to ensure that all branches of government – Congress, the White House, and NASA – are strategically aligned. The outcome of these discussions will be critical in determining whether the U.S. can maintain momentum in its Artemis program and broader space ambitions.

"If we skip the Moon, we're making a very serious mistake. We're not only violating SPD 1 but we're also going to endanger our national security because a sustained presence on the surface of the Moon is critical for the mining of rare earth elements, for water, for He-3," There's a lot of things we can do up there on the surface of the Moon, and whoever gets there first is going to establish the rules of the road. And we want that to be the US."