Bush unveils Moon and Mars plans
The US will send astronauts back to the Moon by 2020, US President George W Bush has announced.
Humans would live and work on the Moon to prepare for exploration further afield such as to Mars, he said.
Nasa should get an extra $1bn over five years for the plans, including building a replacement for the space shuttle.
Critics say it is an expensive election year gimmick, but US officials say all Americans will benefit from science advances from the "affordable" scheme.
White House officials say the president's announcement will reinvigorate the US space programme following setbacks, including the Columbia shuttle disaster.
Human beings are headed into the cosmos
President George W Bush
BBC News Online's science editor Dr David Whitehouse says for the first time in decades US astronauts will actually be going somewhere.
President Bush's "new vision" for American space exploration calls on the United States to:
Send astronauts back to the Moon as early as 2015, no later than 2020 Use human and robotic exploration of Moon to prepare for living base and missions to Mars Return the space shuttle to flight, but retire it by 2010 Develop shuttle replacement by 2008 for manned exploration by 2014 Finish US work on the International Space Station by 2010
Speaking at Nasa headquarters in Washington, Mr Bush detailed how it had been 30 years since a human stood on the Moon and that recently astronauts had gone no further from the Earth than 386 miles (621 kilometres).
"It is time for America to take the next steps. Today I announce a new plan to explore space and extend a human presence across our solar system," Mr Bush said to applause.
"Human beings are headed into the cosmos," he added, saying he wanted a "new era of discovery", but not a new space race.
Nasa's focus will now be on returning to the Moon, Mr Bush directed.
"With the experience and knowledge gained on the moon, we will then be ready to take the next steps of space exploration: human missions to Mars and to worlds beyond," he said.
Long-term budget boost
The White House estimates that the Moon plans will require an extra $12bn over the next five years.
It said $11bn of that would come from reallocation of Nasa funds to the new priorities and the president would ask Congress to approve the remaining $1bn.
Mr Bush would ask for a 5% yearly increase in Nasa's $15.4bn annual budget for the next three years, followed by rises of up to 1% in subsequent years.
A total estimate for the cost of sending astronauts back to the Moon and on to Mars was not given - and would have to be approved by Mr Bush's successors in the White House.
But officials said the plan "will be affordable and sustainable while maintaining the highest levels of safety".
Mr Bush highlighted the practical uses of space technology, such as image-processing used in medical scanners, foetal heart monitors and insulin pumps.
The president announced the development of a new craft, the Crew Exploration Vehicle, presented as the first since the Apollo spaceships to take human to new worlds.
It would also be able to transport scientists and crew to the International Space Station.
'Fiscal absurdity'
Critics, including conservatives, say Mr Bush's return to space idea is irresponsible at a time when the federal budget deficit is soaring.
"I think it's total fiscal absurdity. Bush has been spending money like we've got money to burn and we don't," said Stephen Moore, President of the Club for Growth, a politically powerful conservative group that usually supports Mr Bush.
The president's father proposed sending men to Mars when he was in office in 1989, but the project went nowhere after its cost was estimated at up to $500bn.
The new announcement comes as the US space programme celebrates the landing of its robot rover Spirit on Mars and its planned exploration.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/3395165.stm
Интересно, как флаг на луне мог развиваться, словно на ветру? Они на него что, феном дули что-ли? В Канаде все давно смеются над этим. Здесь многие считают, что американцы просто "надули" весь мир с их первой высадкой на луне..)))
"Today I announce a new plan to explore space and extend a human presence across our solar system," President George W Bush said during a speech at the Nasa headquarters on Wednesday.
He said the US will send astronauts back to the Moon by 2015, and establish a lunar base to prepare for human exploration of Mars.
The US space agency will get an extra $1bn over five years and the US says the "affordable" programme, including plans to replace the space shuttle, will benefit all Americans.
But critics are describing the President's proposals as an over-expensive election year gimmick.
Should humans go into space? Are the missions worth the huge investment? Will signs of life be found on Mars?
