Both Harris and Trump have records on space policy − an international affairs expert examines where they differ when it comes to the final frontier

Neither candidate has talked much about space policy on the campaign trail, but both have records to consider. Anton Petrus/Moment via Getty Images by Thomas G. Roberts, Georgia Institute of Technology The next president of the United States could be the first in that office to accept a phone call from the Moon and hear a woman’s voice on the line. To do so, they’ll first need to make a series of strategic space policy decisions. They’ll also need a little luck. Enormous government investment supports outer space activities, so the U.S. president has an outsize role in shaping space policy during their time in office. Past presidents have leveraged this power to accelerate U.S. leadership in space and boost their presidential brand along the way. Presidential advocacy has helped the U.S. land astronauts on the surface of the Moon, establish lasting international partnerships with civil space agencies abroad and led to many other important space milestones. But most presidential candidates refrain from discussing space policy on the campaign trail in meaningful detail, leaving voters in the dark on their visions for the final frontier. For many candidates, getting into the weeds of their space policy plans may be more...