Trump announces U.S. will return to moon, explore MarsOn Monday, surrounded by current and former astronauts and NASA officials, President Trump directed NASA to return to the moon and, eventually, Mars. Trump said the new NASA policy, Space Directive 1, will refocus Americas space program on human exploration and discovery.
The shift in American space policy is an important step toward establishing a more permanent presence on the moon. This time, Trump said, we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprints -- we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars, and perhaps someday, to many worlds beyond.
The moon－which holds valuable mineral deposits and water－is an attractive site for both national space agencies and private industry. But a lunar mission could cost over $100 billion, and previous plans to revisit the moon that developed under two separate administrations were stymied due to a lack of funds. As it has in the past, NASA may save money by developing partnerships with interested companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin to provide rockets and other equipment for the next moon mission.
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