As has been recently stated by NASA, before the end of the next decade, NASA astronauts are scheduled to explore the surface of the moon once again. However, this is not going to be a one-time visit as it was once a long time ago. This time NASA plans to stay, create outposts and begin the arrangements needed to travel even further - to Mars and beyond.
Currently a new ship is being designed to turn these plans into reality. The new exploration system will comprise the best technologies of those used for Apollo and Shuttle series. The most important part of this system is the spacecraft which is to transport four astronauts to and from the moon, support up to six members of the exploration crew and deliver supplies and staff to the International Space Station.
The new vehicle for the crew will look very much alike the Apollo capsule, though it will be larger, enabling four crewmembers at a time hit the lunar surface.
The new ship is designed to be a reusable one. NASA plans reusing it up to 10 times each. After the vehicle hits the land, it should be easily repairable. The most important part is to replace the heat shield and - here you go - the ship is ready for the next launch.
The system will also include the brand new lunar lander. It will enable the moon researchers to stay longer, completing their lunar research missions up to seven days. Once the astronauts launch the first lunar outpost, it will be possible to stay up to six months on the lunar surface.
NASA plans to perform at least two lunar missions every year. That is scheduled to help build the permanent outpost soon. The landers will trip to bring cargo while the crew stays on the moon and explores its resources. The whole system will allow rotating the crews working on the lunar outposts every six months.
NASA develops the plan of building outposts on the moon surface as the main part of another huge plan - exploring Mars. The entire system will allow getting to Mars and the versatile landers and crew capsules will help exploring Martian resources. So the soon-to-be lunar outpost is considered to be a sort of the training center for the astronauts to practice before making a much more complicated and dangerous move towards Mars.
The issue which enjoys the most careful consideration while designing the system is the safety. NASA developers say the new launch systems will be ten times safer than those of the Shuttle, as there will be a special escape rocket, placed on top of the crew capsule. If there are any launch problems, the crew will be simply blasted away.
Well, people might have different opinions on whether the humanity really needs such thing as "space exploration", but facts do speak for themselves - the far-going lunar and Martian research NASA programs are fully supported by the government. And maybe in a few decades will be traveling to the moon (or who knows, maybe even Mars) for a vacation.