Astronauts to return to Moon within five years: White House

Muscat: US President Donald Trump has directed NASA put astronauts on the moon within five years, the White House confirmed.

Announcing his goal of putting astronauts back on the moon by 2024, Trump said, "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."

According to the White House, the US will seek to land on the moon’s South Pole by 2024, establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by 2028, and chart a future path for Mars exploration. NASA's presence will focus on science, resource management, and risk reduction for future missions to Mars.

Speaking at the Space and Rocket Centre in Alabama, Vice President Mike Pence, declared, "It is the stated policy of this administration for the United States to return American astronauts to the Moon within the next 5 years.

"And let me be clear: the first woman and the next man on the moon will both be American astronauts, launched by American rockets, from American soil. The President has directed NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine to accomplish this goal by any means necessary. In order to succeed we must focus on the mission over the means," he added.

"You must consider every available options and platform to meet our goals, including industry, government and the entire American space enterprise."

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine responded in a post on Twitter, saying, “Challenge accepted. Now let’s get to work.”

"You have given us a charge today and it is right on time," Bridenstine stated, "Our agency, NASA is going to do everything in its power to meet that vision, to meet that deadline and you have full commitment to achieving that."

According to the White House, NASA's Administrator will provide an update on the implementation of Space Policy Directive-1 (SPD-1) and the recommendations at the next Space Council meeting.

The White House confirmed that NASA would create a Moon-to-Mars Mission Directorate and make all necessary efforts to achieve Exploration Mission-1, a foundational uncrewed mission around the Moon. The mission will take place no later than 2020 and a crewed mission around the Moon, dubbed 'Exploration Mission-2', will take place no later than 2022.

Pence later tweeted, "50 years ago, 'one small step for man” became “one giant leap for mankind' – and now we must make the next 'giant leap' and return American astronauts to the Moon, establish a permanent presence there, and develop the technologies to take American astronauts to Mars and beyond."