NASA Plans for Manned Moon Mission again, Costs $28 Billion

World News: On Monday NASA  revealed that its  planning to return astronauts to the Moon Mission in 2024, and estimated the cost of meeting that deadline at $28 billion (roughly Rs.2,05,787 crores),  in which the lunar landing module would cost $16 billion (roughly Rs.1,17,592 crores).

Congress will have to sign off on the financing for the project and it also  faces elections on November 3, the $28 billion (roughly Rs.2,05,787 crores) would cover the budgetary years of 2021-25. The project has been set by President Donald Trump as a top priority. After his predecessor spent billions of dollars on the project Barack Obama cancelled plans for a manned Mars mission.

NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine noted that “political risks” were often the biggest threat to NASA’s work, especially before such a crucial election. He said in a phone briefing with journalists on Monday about  the Artemis mission to return human beings to the Moon.

If Congress approves the first tranche of $3.2 billion (roughly Rs.23,515 crores) by Christmas, “we’re still on track for a 2024 moon landing,” Bridenstine said.  ruling out the sites of the Apollo landings on the Moon’s equator between 1969 and 1972.

“We’re going to the South Pole, There’s no discussion of anything other than that”, He added, scheduled for November of 2021, the first flight, Artemis I,, will be unmanned: the new giant rocket SLS, will take off for the first time with the Orion capsule And is currently in its test phase.

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In 2023,Artemis II, will take astronauts around the Moon but will not land.

Finally, Artemis III will be the equivalent of Apollo 11 in 1969, but the stay on the Moon will last longer, for a week, and will include two to five “extravehicular activities.”

Source: NASA