Buoyed by a successful landing on Mars by a robot explorer, US President George W. Bush plans a major announcement on space policy next week that envisions sending Americans back to the moon and ultimately to Mars, officials and congressional aides said on Thursday.
Nearly a year after the shuttle Columbia exploded on re-entering the atmosphere, Bush is expected to outline a sweeping vision of US space leadership.
PHOTO: EPA
He is expected to propose a new lunar initiative leading to a permanent American presence on the moon and a mission to Mars in the long term, said the sources, who asked to remain unidentified.
Speaking to reporters with Bush in Florida, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said that after the Columbia tragedy Bush made clear his desire for US space exploration to continue.
"The president directed his administration to do a comprehensive review of our space policy, including our priorities and the future direction of the program, and the president will have more to say on it next week," McClellan said, declining to reveal any details in advance.
Some members of Congress are worried about ensuring the US remains the global leader in space exploration.
"If we don't do it, somebody else will," said Representative Bart Gordon, a ranking Democrat on the House Science Committee. "The Chinese, the Europeans and the Japanese all have the goal of going to the moon. Certainly we don't want to wake up and see that they have a base there before we do."
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