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<\/a><\/figure>Speaking to a packed audience, Wyche spoke about \u201cWhy Artemis Changes Everything\u201d and described a rare moment of global alignment. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is now where we\u2019re all committed to do one thing together,\u201d she said, pointing to international and commercial partnerships driving Artemis forward. <\/p>\n
Future missions will increase launch cadence, expand robotic exploration, and lay the groundwork for a sustained human presence. The Moon will become a testing ground to build a lunar base for future deep space exploration, a key step toward enabling missions to Mars. <\/p>\n
Wyche began with the foundation of modern exploration: the International Space Station<\/a>. For 25 years, astronauts have lived and worked continuously aboard the orbiting laboratory, advancing science and testing technologies critical for deep space missions. <\/p>\n She emphasized the station\u2019s role as a proving ground for systems, operations, and crew performance \u2013 capabilities that will be carried forward into lunar and eventually interplanetary missions. <\/p>\n Low Earth orbit remains a critical domain while maintaining a strong U.S. presence to support research, technology development, and crew training. <\/p>\n NASA\u2019s approach has evolved alongside that work. The agency is working with commercial companies to deliver cargo, transport crews, and develop future destinations in low Earth orbit. <\/p>\n \u201cWith the Artemis program, we\u2019ve been able to keep going on what we call a Moon to Mars strategy,\u201d Wyche said. \u201cThat\u2019s allowing us to develop the capabilities \u2013 some that we\u2019re testing on the International Space Station for Mars, some that we\u2019re testing for the Moon \u2013 but it will allow us to do that together.\u201d <\/p>\n Johnson Lead Public Affairs Officer Nilufar Ramji spoke during the \u201cThe Cosmos Has Entered the Chat\u201d session, highlighting how communication and collaboration are driving this new era of exploration. As co-executive producer for NASA\u2019s live broadcasts, Ramji leads efforts to connect global audiences with the agency\u2019s missions. <\/p>\n \u201cThe different sectors that intersect with space, the storytelling aspect, but more importantly doing it collaboratively, is so important to make space accessible for everybody,\u201d Ramji said. \u201cThat\u2019s a really big part of NASA working with different organizations to do just that.\u201d <\/p>\n She pointed to recent commercial lunar missions supported by NASA, including Blue Ghost Mission 1, which delivered NASA payloads to the Moon\u2019s Mare Crisium, and Intuitive Machines\u2019 IM-2 mission, which landed near the lunar South Pole. These missions are part of NASA\u2019s Commercial Lunar Payload Services<\/a> initiative, expanding access to the Moon through industry partnerships. <\/p>\n Companies like Axiom Space are also developing next-generation technologies, including advanced spacesuits designed for the lunar environment, while NASA\u2019s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program<\/a> is supporting the growth of privately operated destinations in orbit. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/vanessa-wyche-by-jennifer-schecter-of-mwc-photography.jpg?w=2048\")
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