Report: U.S. President Bush
May Announce NASA Moon Mission
Chinese
plan and commercial ventures involving India and Russia may spur
manned return to Moon by Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C. (4 December) /Lunar
Journal/ — President
George W. Bush will reportedly announce a big new space mission,
with the possible return of Americans to the Moon.
The National
Review reported on Wednesday that the announcement is expected
on 17 December, the 100th anniversary of the first manned flight in a
powered aircraft by the
Wright Brothers.
 The magazine said the content of the
president's speech does not appear to be in doubt; the only
question is the timing of the announcement.
"While those
who have formulated (the president's speech) have argued that
it be delivered on the anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first
powered flight," the article noted, "there exists a slight possibility it will instead
be incorporated in the State of the Union address at the end of
January."
The report was denied by the White
House, which acknowledged that Bush does have a speech planned at
Kitty Hawk, N.C., to commemorate the Wrights'
historic flight, but added that no announcement would be
made at that time by the president regarding a manned Lunar
mission involving the U.S. space agency, NASA.
It has been 31 years since an
American — or any human — last set foot on the Moon, and 14 years since the
president's father, President George H. W. Bush, proposed a new
American manned mission to Mars.
The National Review story follows on
the heels of recent announcements that China
is planning a manned return to the Moon, and reports that
a joint venture
between India, Russia and a consortium of private investors
will attempt an unmanned Lunar mission within the next four years.
This plan expects to raise more than $3 billion in funding through
the sale of lunar
property claims to the public.
This report was
compiled by Lunar Journal from staff and wire service reports.
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