Admin Aims For Mars By Mid-2030s
The U.S. will aim to begin manned missions beyond the moon by 2025, with a planned round-trip to Mars the following decade, the WH announced Monday.
"Our sights [are] set ultimately on Mars and beyond," said Jim Kohlenberger, chief of staff at the WH Office of Science and Technology Policy.
What's more, Pres. Obama's new space policy lays out plans to extend the the life of the International Space Station for another decade and beyond, rather than sticking with plans to scrap the orbiting outpost in 5 years.
But aside from long-term plans, the WH's new space policy puts greater focus on building an international coalition, preventing disruptions in everyday life and building a viable commercial space industry. The new policy reflects the recognition, officials said, that the U.S. is no longer racing to beat an enemy to orbit.
"It's clear to us now that our opportunities and our responsibilities have changed," said Barry Pavel, the NSC's Senior Director for Defense Policy and Strategy. "With the growth of the global economy, there are an ever-increasing number of countries and organizations that are using space."
Admin officials would not provide details of the meetings, but Kohlenberger said there had been bilateral meetings regarding the new policy. While Pavel said the new strategy included "legitimate national and homeland security purposes," the focus is on a greater level of international cooperation and a build-up of U.S. commercial abilities. The strategy goes so far as to advocate refraining from government participation in space activities that would hinder commercial development, with the exception of national security and public safety matters.
"This policy is about the boundless possibilities of the future. That is why we seek to spur a burgeoning commercial space industry, to rapidly increase our capabilities in space while bolstering America's competitive edge in the global economy," Pres. Obama said in a statement released along with the new policy. "We set ambitious goals for NASA: Ramping up robotic and human space exploration, with our sights set on Mars and beyond, to improve the capacity of human beings to learn and work safely beyond the Earth for extended periods of time."
The plan orders the NASA administrator to develop plans to get to Mars within a quarter-century; to partner with the private sector in building a commercial spaceflight industry; and to develop technologies aimed at overcoming challenges associated with long distance space flight.
Other aspects are smaller in scope. The admin hopes to clean up orbital space junk and build duplicate systems in order to prevent damage to technologies Americans use in every day life.
I got one word for you:
M A R S
Mars, bitches.