Quote · Moonshots with Peter Diamandis
Michael Kratsios on the New Golden Age of American Science | EP #276
Where this was said
National Missions: Moon, Quantum, Fusion, and the New Apollo Moment
At 18:12 · chapter starts 15:05
Peter asks Kratsios to paint the long-term vision for America, pushing beyond incremental healthcare wins. Kratsios frames his answer in terms of national missions — bold, specific goals that generate national pride and inspire young people the way Apollo once did. [1] — Michael Kratsios "Returning humans to the Moon by 2028, building the first elements of a lunar base by 2030, and launching a nuclear reactor into space — all…" 16:25 The list is staggering: humans on the Moon in 2028, the first elements of a lunar base by 2030, a nuclear reactor in space (with Mars propulsion capability) by 2028, a scientifically relevant quantum computer by the end of the president's term (directed through executive order), and an evolving national fusion strategy backed by more private investment than at any point in history — including 37 venture-backed fusion companies. Kratsios is most personally excited about quantum's applications in pharmaceuticals, where the ability to model molecular interactions could be transformational. The conversation reveals a government that is, for the first time in decades, willing to stake out ambitious, falsifiable timelines for moonshot-level achievements.
Returning humans to the Moon by 2028, building the first elements of a lunar base by 2030, and launching a nuclear reactor into space — all within the current administration's timeline. Kratsios frames these as the Apollo-era national missions needed to inspire a new generation into STEM.
The administration's space missions include returning humans to the Moon by 2028, building the first lunar base elements by 2030, and launching a nuclear reactor in space by 2028.
Peter Diamandis counted 37 venture-backed fusion energy companies currently operating, reflecting unprecedented private-sector investment in the space.
