According to Sawyer Merritt, President Trump signed an executive order mandating the United States' return to the Moon by 2028 and construction of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030, emphasizing AI-driven innovation in space exploration, defense, and commercial operations (source: Sawyer Merritt, Twitter). The order prioritizes modernization of national security space architecture, next-generation space-based missile defense, and improved space traffic management and debris mitigation—each area presenting significant demand for AI-powered solutions in autonomous navigation, predictive threat detection, and real-time data analysis. The directive to grow the US commercial space economy and target over $50 billion in new space investment by 2028 further accelerates opportunities for AI startups and established firms to develop advanced robotics, space weather forecasting algorithms, and nuclear-powered mission control systems, solidifying AI as a central driver of future space industry competitiveness (source: Sawyer Merritt, Twitter).