NASA Moon Mission Scrubbed

The Chicago skyline is seen Dec. 24, 2011. / AFP/Getty Images

President Barack Obama has killed NASA's $100 billion plans to return astronauts to the moon.

The move came on the seventh anniversary of the space shuttle tragedy that triggered the return to the moon plan.

The White House said the program was too much like the 1960s Apollo mission and would require large budget increases just to get astronauts back on the moon by 2030.

In the budget proposal released Monday, the White House instead promised a new approach with no details. Obama also proposed $6 billion over five years to encourage companies to build private spaceships that NASA could rent.

President George W. Bush proposed the moon mission after the 2003 space shuttle Columbia disaster. NASA has already spent $9.1 billion on the program.

[margroks]

What a shame. WE need to go back to the moon and establish a base or bases there in preparation for going to Mars and someday, exploring outside the solar system. Mankind cannot remain completely earthbound forever; we need to spread the human race throughout the solar syatem and the galaxy beyond. To not do so is extremely short sighted and relegates the human race to extinction someday.

[rf35]

While I support NASA, manned space exploration, and hope for lunar and/or Mars missions in my lifetime, I can't say I'm sorry to see Constellation scrapped. It was a terrible idea with no innovation; they were just dusting off Apollo and giving it a fresh coat of paint. If America is going back to the moon, let's go in a way that develops new technologies instead of just rolling out the '60s-era capsules with better computers.

Or maybe the conspiracy theorists are right and there really is a malevolent alien race hidden on the moon who warned us that if we return, they will disintegrate Earth!

[91786]

This is the area where the high paying jobs are that reap huge consumer benefits. This may be the worst idea Obama has yet had. Every dollar spent in the 60's on space gave back $7

[6591Hou]

In order for this administration to have any credibility in promoting technology based education it needs to publically get out and support NASA, the icon for high technology in this country.
India and China have both proclaimed their intent to land men on the moon by 2020, we will still be in orbit with the ISS (which neither of them participate in).
How valuable can the engineering degrees be that we want our kids to get, when we cut or out-source our technology jobs?

[jjoe57]

mispelled "snail." Sorry 'bout that.

[jjoe57]

I'm not sorry to see the Constellation program shelved; it was an unimaginative revamping of NASA's old 1970s rocket/moon capsule combination with its snale-pace speeds. I am pleased that more federal funding appears to be directed toward R&D of advanced propulsion technologies. I wish the U.S. would seriously consider developing laser beam or even plasma generated propulsion systems. If only we had utra-fast spacecraft that could take humans to the moon in hours rather than days; to Mars in weeks rather than months!

[rktsci3127]

Maybe NASA could borrow some money from the great black hole known as AIG. This country was once the manufacturing and space and exploration giant of the world. All thats left now is the war machine...and that will probably soon be challenged.

[truth-b-toll]

manned space flight -BIG waste of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
unmanned, different story.

[libftw]

Much better to spend the money enabling the overpopulation of our home planet? I say no more subsidies for childbearing. Borrowing money from our children to fund more children is suicidal.

[rf35]

by Ordflyer February 1, 2010 9:56 PM EST
Susbsidies for children?? The USA's birthrate is NEGATIVE - as in DECLINING...

You say that like it's a bad thing. I hope it's true...I'll have to look it up in a minute. Somehow, I doubt it. Maybe it's that coworker with eight kids. Or the other with five kids. Othe the other four with three each and no signs of stopping. If the country's birth rate is neagtive, that's some world leadership we can be proud of. Now if only the rest of the world would get a clue...