In 2004, President George W. Bush proposed a plan to send astronauts back to the moon by 2020. Last week, NASA announced an even earlier launch, set for 2018. It would be the United States' first trip to the moon in 46 years.
NASA's new plan calls for a wingless spacecraft, called the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). It is set to replace the retiring space shuttle. The CEV will trans-port as many as six crew members and would allow them to stay on the moon for more than a week.
Even with its hefty $104 billion price tag, this plan will cost less than the Apollo moon-landing program, which ended in the early 1970s. "The space program is a long-term in-vestment in our future," said Michael Griffin, NASA's administrator.
NASA hopes to launch the new craft for the first time by 2012. Ultimately, the plan is to fly the CEV to Mars.