The administrator of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) cheered on the US men’s soccer team, currently competing in the US-Canada-Mexico World Cup, on Tuesday, promising that if they ultimately win the championship, the agency will send a soccer ball to the moon.
NASA Administrator Isaacman said at an event detailing the lunar base construction plan: “That’s the challenge for you. So, US team, go get the job done!”
Before the US co-hosts the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada, NASA has already sent an official FIFA match ball to the International Space Station (ISS).
However, Isaacman vowed that if the US team could pull off a surprise victory, he would send a soccer ball farther into space than ever before. He specifically mentioned that, in 1971, astronaut Shepard became famous for secretly bringing a club and two golf balls to the moon and taking a swing there.
Isaacman pledged, “We’re going to go one step further than Alan Shepard. We’re going to bring a soccer ball to the moon.”
“So, consider this a little extra motivation for the US team!”
If this soccer ball really does embark on a journey to the moon, it will be loaded among various scientific instruments as part of the payload, as part of the US’s plans to build a lunar base in the coming years.
NASA Lunar Base Project Manager Garcia-Garan said, “If the US team wins the World Cup, we will absolutely make room for it on the spacecraft.”
He joked that before achieving this goal, the US players may have to face an extremely tough schedule, but said that the soccer ball is light enough to fully meet the requirements for this space mission.
“Now it all depends on the US men’s soccer team. Good luck to them.”
At 8 a.m. Thursday (July 2) Malaysia time, the US will face Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the winner advancing to the World Cup round of 16.