Pence praises Trump space agenda as launches hit 178 in 2025

1 min read | Published on 30 Aug 2026, 08:11 AM |Updated on 30 Aug 2026, 08:11 AM

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Key Highlights

Mike Pence praised Trump’s space agenda for reviving US leadership via Artemis and the Space Force
Trump declared a 'golden age' for the US space program in a speech at a NASA event
An executive order revived the US Space Academy to address workforce shortages
Policy targets over 1,000 annual space launches and re-entries by 2030
US orbital launches rose from 19 in 2013 to 178 in 2025

*this image is generated using AI for illustrative purposes only.

Former Vice President Mike Pence praised Donald Trump’s space agenda on Saturday, crediting the administration with reviving American leadership through the Artemis program and the U.S. Space Force.

Pence shared a clip of Trump speaking at a NASA event on X, stating the administration returned astronauts to space on American rockets and launched Artemis to return to the Moon.

Trump Declares ‘Golden Age’

In the video, Trump declared that his administration had brought America’s space program out of a "dark age" into a "golden age." He vowed that the U.S. would conquer the vast frontier of space exploration.

Policy Expansions

On Friday, Trump signed an executive order to revive a U.S. Space Academy to train astronauts, engineers, and scientists, addressing workforce shortages at NASA and the Space Force. This move coincided with honoring the Artemis II crew.

Earlier this month, Trump backed a policy targeting more than 1,000 annual space launches and re-entries by 2030. U.S. orbital launches rose from 19 in 2013 to 178 in 2025.

What the Numbers Show

The growth in orbital activity highlights a significant acceleration in launch frequency. U.S. orbital launches increased from 19 in 2013 to 178 in 2025, reflecting an expansion of nearly nine times over this period.