NASA Administrator Bill Nelson went before Oklahoma congressman Frank Lucas and others on a House Science Committee on Wednesday but failed to give an indication whether the U.S. will return Americans to the moon by 2024.
“Given the critical nature of American space exploration, I was reassured by Administrator Nelson’s commitment to launching Artemis 1 this year and Artemis 2 in 2023,” stated Rep. Frank Lucas after the hearing by the House Science, Space and Technology Committee where he is the Ranking Member.
“However, we didn’t receive any information about whether NASA will reach its goal of landing humans on the Moon in 2024. To succeed in big missions like this, we need hard targets and detailed plans in place. I’ll be following up to get more information on NASA’s strategy.”
Lucas said the committee learned important information from Administrator Nelson about NASA’s plans for continued space exploration and how it intends to prioritize its many mission areas.
“I appreciate his recognition that we face a very real and growing threat from China’s aggressive plans for space exploration. We’re not competing with the Chinese Communist Party for bragging rights—what’s at stake is much bigger than that,” said Rep. Lucas who added that America’s leadership in space ensures the country’s continued security and technological development here on Earth.
“I’m looking forward to working with Administrator Nelson in his new role to ensure we’re giving NASA the support and oversight needed to send humans to the Moon and then on to Mars.”
Source: press release