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takyon writes:

NASA is going back to the Moon, perhaps permanently, as seen in a new road map (image):

Four months after President Trump directed NASA to return to the Moon, the agency has presented a road map to meet the goals outlined in Space Policy Directive-1. The updated plan shifts focus from the previous "Journey to Mars" campaign back to the Moon, and—eventually—to the Red Planet.

"The Moon will play an important role in expanding human presence deeper into the solar system," said Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA, in a release issued by the agency.

While the revamped plan may share the same destination as the Apollo program, NASA said it will approach the return in a more measured and sustainable manner. Unlike humanity's first trip to the Moon, the journey back will incorporate both commercial and international partners.

To achieve this, NASA has outlined four strategic goals:

• Transition low-Earth orbit (LEO) human spaceflight activities to commercial operators.
• Expand long-duration spaceflight activities to include lunar orbit.
• Facilitate long-term robotic lunar exploration.
• Use human exploration of the Moon as groundwork for eventual human missions to Mars and beyond.

This may be the best outcome for the space program. Let NASA focus on the Moon with an eye towards permanently stationing robots and humans there, and let SpaceX or someone else take the credit for a 2020s/early-2030s manned Mars landing. Then work on a permanent presence on Mars using cheaper rocket launches, faster propulsion technologies, better radiation shielding, hardier space potatoes, etc.

Previously: President Trump Signs Space Policy Directive 1

Related:

Original Submission

1. "takyon" - https://soylentnews.org/~takyon/
2. "going back to the Moon" - http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/human-spaceflight/nasas-exploration-goals-come-focus-updated-road-map/
3. "image" - http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/nasa-exploration-campaign.jpg
4. "NASA" - https://www.nasa.gov/
5. "Space Policy Directive-1" - http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/human-spaceflight/trump-policy-directive-makes-moon-nasa-official-goal-human-exploration/
6. "Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate" - https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/index.html
7. "release" - https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-outlines-new-lunar-science-human-exploration-missions/
8. "outlined" - https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasas-exploration-campaign-back-to-the-moon-and-on-to-mars
9. "President Trump Signs Space Policy Directive 1" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=17/12/12/1130258
10. "Moon Base Could Cost Just $10 Billion Due to New Technologies" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=16/03/19/1655240
11. "Should We Skip Mars for Now and Go to the Moon Again?" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=16/06/08/0247242
12. "NASA and International Partners Planning Orbital Lunar Outpost" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=16/11/09/0256230
13. "How to Get Back to the Moon in 4 Years, Permanently" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=17/02/27/1631233
14. "NASA Eyeing Mini Space Station in Lunar Orbit as Stepping Stone to Mars" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=17/04/17/137247
15. "Private Company Plans to Bring Moon Rocks Back to Earth in Three Years" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=17/07/13/1141223
16. "NASA and Roscosmos Sign Joint Statement on the Development of a Lunar Space Station" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=17/09/30/2354230
17. "India and Japan to Collaborate on Lunar Lander and Sample Return Mission" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=17/11/19/1620243
18. "Russia Assembles Engineering Group for Lunar Activities and the Deep Space Gateway" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=18/01/09/0824246
19. "Can the International Space Station be Saved? Should It be Saved?" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=18/01/12/0040204
20. "Trump Administration Plans to End Support for the ISS by 2025" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=18/01/25/1448257
21. "25 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Selected for 2018" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=18/04/02/0644220
22. "Lunar X Prize Could Continue Without Google, or Even the Prizes" - https://soylentnews.org/article.pl?sid=18/04/05/1746256
23. "Original Submission" - https://soylentnews.org/submit.pl?op=viewsub&subid=26104

printed from SoylentNews, 2020s to Become the Decade of Lunar Re-Exploration on 2024-04-25 00:18:39