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To: jttmab who wrote (12)	9/19/2005 12:40:10 PM
From: Bucky Katt	Read Replies (1) of 149

Nasa plans return to Moon by 2020 The US space agency Nasa has announced plans to return to the Moon by 2020. Nasa administrator Michael Griffin said four astronauts would be sent in a new space shuttle, in a project that would cost $104bn. "We will return to the Moon no later than 2020 and extend human presence across the solar system and beyond," Mr Griffin said on Monday. Nasa sent several manned missions to the Moon between 1969 and 1972. A total of 12 astronauts walked on the Moon. Different modules could be launched separately into space then joined together for the journey to lunar orbit, as with the Apollo missions. The new missions would use rocket technology used for the space shuttle to cut the costs of development. 'Apollo on steroids' Dr Griffin said the new rocket would be "very Apollo-like, with updated technology. Think of it as Apollo on steroids." Nasa is charged with implementing the vision for space exploration, laid out in January 2004 by President George W Bush. "We believe this architecture...achieves those goals in the most cost-effective, efficient manner that we could do it," said Dr Griffin in a news briefing at Nasa headquarters in Washington. The space shuttle is to be retired by 2010 in order to pay for its replacement, the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) - to be ready by 2012. Nasa would begin the lunar expedition by launching a lunar landing capsule and a propulsion stage atop a new heavy-lift rocket. It would then launch the CEV atop a four-segment solid rocket booster developed for the space shuttle. Once in orbit, the CEV would dock with the lunar lander and the propulsion stage and start its journey to the Moon. Nasa also envisions the possibility of building a semi-permanent lunar base, where astronauts would make use of the Moon's natural resources for water and fuel. Dr Griffin dismissed suggestions that reconstruction of the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina could derail the programme. "We must deal with our short-term problems while not sacrificing our long-term investments in our future," said the Nasa chief. "When we have a hurricane, we don't cancel the Air Force. We don't cancel the Navy. And we're not going to cancel Nasa." news.bbc.co.uk

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