Trump is requesting the budget increase for 2020, so that NASA can develop a lander to bring humans to the surface of the moon. Trump’s ask comes six weeks after vice-president Mike Pence called on NASA to bring humans to the moon by 2024. The announcement took NASA employees by surprise, as they were working to reach the moon by 2028. (Washington Post)

Talking point: This announcement calls Canada’s contribution to the U.S.-led Lunary Gateway mission—which aims to create a space station that orbits around the moon—into further question. In February, Canada signed on as an international partner in the mission by agreeing to develop the Canadarm3. But after the U.S. announced its new plan, a Canadian Space Agency spokesperson confirmed to the CBC that 2019 federal budget money for Canada’s Lunar Gateway had not been committed due to NASA’s replanning of its lunar campaign.  Because of budgetary constraints, Canada relies on international partners to lead space missions it can contribute to; NASA received US$20.8 billion in total funding in 2018, while Canada’s recently-approved space strategy earmarks $2.05 billion to the Lunar Gateway project over 24 years.