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NASA has recently revised its lunar plans, which are based on its Global Exploration Strategy. Currently, NASA wants its astronauts to have larger lunar habitat modules and pressurized lunar rovers—all delivered by the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, the Ares I booster, and the Ares V heavy-lift rocket.
NASA also asked the questions "Why should we return to the Moon?" and "What do we hope to accomplish through lunar exploration?" to over 1,000 engineers, scientists, space advocates, commercial space entrepreneurs, and the public.
NASA (http://www.nasa.gov/) then tallied the answers and worked with the following thirteen space agencies from around the world:
Australia (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO): http://www.csiro.au/),
Canada (Canadian Space Agency (CSA): http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/index.html),
China (China National Space Administration (CNSA): http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/n615709/cindex.html),
the European Space Agency (ESA: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/index.html),
France (Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES): http://www.cnes.fr/web/455-cnes-en.php);
Germany (German Aerospace Center (DLR): http://www.dlr.de/),
Great Britain (British National Space Center (BNSC): http://www.bnsc.gov.uk/home.aspx?nid=3191),
India (Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO): http://www.isro.org/),
Italy (Italian Space Agency (ISA): http://www.asi.it/),
Japan (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA): http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html),
Russia (Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA, Roskosmos): http://www.federalspace.ru/index.asp?Lang=ENG),
the Republic of Korea (Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI): http://www.kari.re.kr/english/),
the Ukraine (National Space Agency of Ukraine (NSAU): http://www.nkau.gov.ua/NSAU/nkau.nsf/indexE?openform).
They came up with the following six reasons to return to the Moon:
1. “Human Civilization - Extend human presence to the Moon to enable eventual settlement.”
2. “Scientific Knowledge - Pursue scientific activities that address fundamental questions about the history of Earth, the solar system and the universe - and about our place in them.”
3. Exploration Preparation - Test technologies, systems, flight operations and exploration techniques to reduce the risks and increase the productivity of future missions to Mars and beyond.”
4. “Global Partnerships - Provide a challenging, shared and peaceful activity that unites nations in pursuit of common objectives.”
5. “Economic Expansion - Expand Earth's economic sphere, and conduct lunar activities with benefits to life on the home planet.”
6. “Public Engagement - Use a vibrant space exploration program to engage the public, encourage students and help develop the high-tech workforce that will be required to address the challenges of tomorrow.”
For additional information, go to the NASA website “Why the Moon?”.
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