Author Topic: US to send astronauts back to Moon (Read 336 times)

Buster's Uncle · « **on:** December 13, 2017, 07:12:53 PM »

Donald [Sleezebag] signs directive to send astronauts back to Moon
BBC News 12 December 2017

U.S. President Donald [Sleezebag] holds up "Space Policy Directive 1" after signing it during a ceremony.Image copyright Getty Images

Signing Space Policy Directive 1, Mr [Sleezebag] said the US was "going to stay the leader".

US President Donald [Sleezebag] has directed Nasa to plan a crewed mission to the Moon for the first time since 1972.

It will focus on long-term explorations and use of the Moon's surface, in partnership with the private sector.

Mr [Sleezebag] also said the programme would lay the foundation for an eventual mission to Mars, although he did not give a date for this.

Correspondents say any realistic effort will probably need Congress to agree to a big funding boost.

There is bipartisan support for further space exploration but parties disagree over the timeline and budget.

Earlier this year, China said it was making initial preparations to send crewed missions to the Moon. During a signing ceremony, Mr [Sleezebag] said: "We are the leader and we're going to stay the leader, and we're going to increase it many fold."

The new directive is recommended by the National Space Council, headed by Vice-President Mike Pence.

But the [Sleezebag] administration has not supplied information on how the new objective is to be achieved, and on what timescale.

This NASA file photo taken on July 20, 1969 shows astronaut Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr. saluting the US flag on the surface of the Moon Image copyright AFP/Getty Images

The new directive aims to return to the Moon to establish a foundation for future trips to Mars.

With this directive, Mr [Sleezebag] abandons plans set by his predecessor Barack Obama, to send humans to an asteroid near Earth.

Nasa's acting administrator Robert Lightfoot welcomed the announcement.

"Nasa looks forward to supporting the president's directive strategically aligning our work to return humans to the moon, travel to Mars and opening the deeper solar system beyond," he said in a statement.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42322236