Finally, the USA is planning on returning to space in a big way. If President Trump implements his just announced space program he will be reigniting America’s space legacy, initially led by President John Kennedy. Returning to the Moon, which President Obama foolishly dismissed by saying, “been there-done that,” is vital to our culture and economy. Exploration of our solar system and galaxy will stimulate the imagination of mankind, and return hefty economic benefits through discovering new scientific principles. Not having returned to the Moon for almost half a century was a gigantic error in American policy. Establishing a base on the Moon is an essential stepping stone to landing on Mars, the Earth’s closet neighboring planet. Over recent years, China has taken the lead in space exploration, and now, if the US is wise, we can collaborate with China in discovering new wonders about our living Universe.
President Donald Trump: “This time, we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprint, we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars, and perhaps someday, to many worlds beyond.”
Highlights of President Trump’s Moon initiative:
*”The United States will seek to land on the Moon’s South Pole by 2024, establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by 2028 (less than a decade from now0], and chart a future path for Mars exploration.
*”NASA’s lunar presence will focus on science, resource management, and risk reduction for future missions to Mars.”
*”NASA will create a Moon-to-Mars Mission Directorate and make all necessary efforts to achieve Exploration Mission-1, a mission around the Moon without a crew.
*”Exploration Mission-1 will take place no later than 2020 (next year) and a crewed mission around the Moon, Exploration Mission-2, will take place no later than 2022 (3 years from now).
*”NASA will unleash American industry, including through public-private partnerships, to enhance innovation and the sustainability of its space activities.
*”The United States will engage with international partners to enable a sustainable lunar exploration and development program.
*”An American has not walked on the Moon in 47 years [no human being, for that matter], but President Trump is working to change that.
*”To achieve this goal, President Trump is taking action to ensure that American astronauts get to their destination quickly and sustainably.”
*”These recommendations follow President Trump’s bold call for America to go back to the Moon and establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars.
*”The President’s Space Policy calls for NASA to lead an innovative space program with commercial and international partners.
*”Americans will return to the Moon for long-term exploration, followed by missions to Mars and beyond.”
African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat had said much the same thing, when he met with Wang on Jan. 4 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the AU has its headquarters. Expressing his congratulations on the successful landing of the Chang’e-4 lunar probe, Faki told Wang, “for humans, the Moon is out of reach, but with its super-scientific capabilities, China has successfully achieved this landing event, making history.” He, too, said that Africa, as a friend of China, is happy about its success, and hopes that African countries will strengthen cooperation with China in science and technological innovation.