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NASA asks for $1.6bn to send woman to the moon

The request for a budget change comes despite the agency praising the president's proposed budget and 2024 target back in March.

Tuesday 14 May 2019 15:31, UK

DC, UNITED STATES: This 20 July 1969 file photo released by NASA shows astronaut Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr. saluting the US flag on the surface of the Moon during the Apollo 11 lunar mission. The 20th July 1999 marks the 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and man's first walk on the Moon. AFP PHOTO NASA (Photo credit should read NASA/AFP/Getty Images)
Image: NASA aims to return Americans to the moon by 2024
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NASA has asked for an extra $1.6bn (拢1.2bn) from congress for its new moon mission, which aims to land a woman on the lunar surface for the first time by 2024.

The mission has been named Artemis, after the goddess of the moon in Greek mythology. Artemis was also the sister to Apollo, after whom the original moon landing missions were named.

Extra funds are being requested despite the agency's head praising Donald Trump's budget as "one of the strongest on record" after he announced a significant cut to its overall funding.

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - MARCH 11: In this handout photo provided by NASA, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine talks to employees about the agencys progress toward sending astronauts to the Moon and on to Mars during a televised event at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on March 11, 2019 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA's Orion spacecraft, which is scheduled to be flown on Exploration Mission-2, was on display during the event. (Photo by Aubrey Gemign
Image: NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine had previously praised Donald Trump's budget

As proposed, the president's budget is $500m (£380m) less than last year but still offers $21bn (£16bn) to "continue building the key components of the exploration campaign that will send astronauts to the moon and beyond".

These components will include a new heavy-lift rocket as well as a "Lunar Gateway" outpost which will be orbiting the moon by the mid 2020s, and lunar landers to deliver cargo there by the late 2020s.

Heavy clouds begin to move over the Vehicle Assembly Building on September 11, 2009 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA waved off two landing attempts for Friday at KSC due to inclimate weather. NASA will attempt landing later September 11 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. AFP PHOTO/Karen BLEIER (Photo by KAREN BLEIER / AFP) (Photo credit should read KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images)
Image: The space agency is requesting an additional $1.6bn

According to Associated Press, the Trump administration plans to source the money from the Pell Grant fund which subsidises college education for students from poorer backgrounds.

There have been suggestions that even if congress approves NASA's refunding plan, it still might be insufficient to land humans on the moon again by 2024.

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"This additional investment, I want to be clear, is a down payment on NASA's efforts to land humans on the moon by 2024," the head of NASA Jim Bridenstine said on Monday.

"In the coming years we will need additional funds, but this is a good amount that gets us out of the gate in a very strong fashion, and sets us up for success in the future," he added.

Jeff Bezos unveils the lunar lander rocket Blue Moon in 2019
Image: Jeff Bezos unveiled the lunar lander rocket Blue Moon

About $1bn of the requested budget would be used to develop a commercial lunar lander which NASA would purchase from a private company.

Such a lander has been developed by Blue Origin, the private space company of the world's richest man Jeff Bezos, which was unveiled last Friday.

At the time Mr Bezos said: "We can help meet that timeline but only because we started three years ago. It's time to go back to the moon, this time to stay."

President Trump signs 'Space Policy Directive 1' in December 2017
Image: President Trump signed 'Space Policy Directive 1' in December 2017

NASA administrator Mr Bridenstine was a controversial choice for his job due to his criticism of the agency's spending on climate science and lack of relevant experience.

The US senate confirmed his appointment by a vote of 50-49.

The budget is designed to meet the Space Policy Directive-1, signed by Donald Trump in December 2017, which directed the agency to renew its physical space exploration efforts.

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