President Trump’s plan to begin the large scale economic development of space has taken a hit as NASA has announced that it will be unable to complete preparations for a manned flight in time.
Th original proposal was to send people to the moon and then on to Mars, securing the USA’s dominance in the modern Space Race. As other countries are trying to get missions launched, it would put America behind and at a disadvantage to not be involved.
Sources say that the delays are due to budgetary and completion issues by the European Space Agency (ESA), who are involved in the building of the Orion Space Station.
Much like when the US first sent men to the moon, the nation is being watched and measured in terms of its technological and economic capabilities, and if other countries get there first, it will effect standing.
As reported in the Daily Caller:
If the crewed flight had been approved, it would have coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing by NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in July 1969.
The announcement follows an April report by NASA auditors that the agency’s efforts to return astronauts to the moon will be delayed due to space program failures in Europe.
NASA’s inspector general’s office said the agency may not be able to launch its lunar mission on schedule due to budget constraints and delays at the European Space Agency (ESA), which is building the Orion capsule for the mission. Orion, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and its support systems is expected to cost $23 billion by the end of 2018.
