Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Wednesday 27 March 2019
Pence calls for landing U.S. astronauts on moon in 5 years

erything to put astronauts
on the moon in July 1969. It
was unacceptable, Pence
said, that SLS delays and
cost overruns point to a
2028 target date — nearly
two decades after the SLS
program began.
The vice president in-
structed NASA to aim to
land on the moon's south
pole, where considerable
amounts of ice could be
used for drinking and mak-
ing rocket fuel.
"The exploration of the
heavens in this still new
century will go forward
with or without the United
States. But Americans don't
do second place. Ameri-
cans lead, and so we will,"
Pence said to cheers and
applause.
Planetary scientist Alan
Stern of the Southwest Re-
search Institute said 2024 is
feasible provided the ac-
celerated effort is funded
properly and commercial
space systems are fully em-
braced.
"The moon is a truly out-
In this July 30, 1971 photo made available by NASA, Apollo 15 Lunar Module Pilot James B. Irwin salutes while standing beside the
fourth American flag planted on the surface of the moon. standing target, both for
Associated Press science and for getting
our exploration legs back
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. landing on the moon by "I will be astonished if this agency's new megarock- before we set out to fur-
(AP) — Vice President Mike NASA isn't until 2028, Pence happens," said Jonathan et will be needed, but its ther destinations like Mars,"
Pence on Tuesday called said. He acknowledged McDowell of the Harvard- development and pace Stern wrote in an email.
for landing astronauts on talent — and money — will Smithsonian Center for As- will need to be faster. Two But former NASA official
the moon within five years, be necessary to pull it off trophysics in Cambridge, weeks ago, he said NASA Scott Hubbard said five
an accelerated pace that earlier. Massachusetts, noting that was considering using pri- years seems "awfully short
would aim to put Ameri- Pence warned that if NASA a lunar lander still needs vate rockets instead to to me," given the lack of
cans on the lunar south can't put astronauts on the to be designed, built and launch its new Orion cap- national security incentives
pole. moon by 2024, "we need to tested. sule around the moon with- like those that existed dur-
Pence said NASA needs to change the organization, "That is a hard challenge on out a crew on a test flight ing Apollo and the Cold
achieve that goal "by any not the mission." The space a five year time scale even next year. War race to beat the Sovi-
means necessary." Speak- agency must transform into without political budget But on Tuesday, he ex- ets to the moon.
ing at a meeting of the a leaner, more account- infighting," he wrote in an pressed confidence that Hubbard pointed out that
National Space Council able and more agile orga- email. the SLS, or Space Launch both Bush administrations
in Huntsville, Alabama, he nization, and must adopt This summer marks the System, would be ready for proposed similar far-reach-
said NASA rockets and lu- an "all-hands-on-deck ap- 50th anniversary of the first the job. He also stressed the ing exploration efforts.
nar landers will be replaced proach," he said. manned moon landing. need for an outpost with "Those didn't go anywhere
by private craft, if required. NASA Administrator Jim Since Apollo astronauts astronauts near the moon and collapsed of their
"It's time to redouble our ef- Bridenstine assured Pence last walked on the moon in to serve as a stepping-off own significant financial
fort," he said. "It can hap- that NASA will do every- 1972, no country has made point for lunar landings. weight," he noted in an
pen, but it will not happen thing possible to meet the a serious attempt to send Pence leads the National email.
unless we increase the deadline. Some outside ex- humans back to the lu- Space Council. The adviso- The University of Colorado
pace." perts were skeptical of the nar surface. For decades, ry group held its fifth meet- at Boulder's Bobby Braun
Now, the earliest possible new timeline. NASA has flip-flopped be- ing at the U.S. Space and said he'd like to review the
tween the moon and Mars, Rocket Center, right next budget and details for im-
a victim of changing presi- door to NASA's Marshall plementation "as those de-
dential administrations. Space Flight Center, where tails matter." He previously
More recently, President the Saturn V moon rockets served as NASA's chief
Barack Obama targeted were developed decades technologist.
Mars as astronauts' next big ago and where the Boeing- "The United States aero-
destination, while President built SLS is now managed. space community is cer-
Donald Trump has favored This longtime rocket know- tainly capable of achiev-
the moon. how is why Huntsville is nick- ing this goal if provided with
In order to get astronauts named Rocket City. stability of purpose and the
on the moon by 2024, It took just eight years for resources to do so," Braun
Bridenstine said the space NASA to accomplish ev- wrote in an email.q