Armenian PM cites lack of specialists as reason for no lunar program

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan explained the absence of a national lunar program by pointing to the country’s shortage of skilled personnel, RIA Novosti reported.

He made the remarks during a forum on innovation in the public sector.

Pashinyan said he was impressed to learn that the American Apollo program, which successfully landed humans on the Moon, involved 400,000 scientists and engineers. “I am confident that without this number of specialists, the project would not have been realised,” he added.

He noted that Armenia, despite its millennia-long history, has never planned a lunar mission and currently has no such plans. “And the reason is simple—the absence of these 400,000 scientists and professionals,” the Prime Minister said.

The comments come as the world prepares for another milestone in lunar exploration. In 2026, astronauts on NASA’s Artemis-2 mission are expected to see the far side of the Moon for the first time since the Apollo era. The mission is part of preparations for a planned lunar landing in 2027–2028.

If the program proceeds on schedule, it could also set the stage for competition among private space companies. Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, may achieve a milestone ahead of Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, potentially claiming the first lunar landing among private enterprises.

By Khagan Isayev