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This has nothing to do with Iraq, Iran, North Korea, the DNC or any other current hotspots.

I wonder how we are doing on Bush’s mandate to “Return to the Moon”? Is it completely forgotten yet?

To recap, in January 2004, with much fanfare, there were some pretty big announcements made President Bush Announces New Vision for Space Exploration Program :

• Today, President Bush announced a new vision for the Nation’s space exploration program. The President committed the United States to a long-term human and robotic program to explore the solar system, starting with a return to the Moon that will ultimately enable future exploration of Mars and other destinations.
• The President’s vision affirms our Nation’s commitment to manned space exploration. It gives NASA a new focus and clear objectives. It will be affordable and sustainable while maintaining the highest levels of safety.
• The benefits of space technology are far-reaching and affect the lives of every American. Space exploration has yielded advances in communications, weather forecasting, electronics, and countless other fields. For example, image processing technologies used in lifesaving CAT Scanners and MRIs trace their origins to technologies engineered for use in space.

So the goals outlined were:

• Complete its work on the International Space Station by 2010
• Retire the current space shuttle fleet by the end of the decade
• Develop the new Crew Exploration Vehicle; Develop & test by 2008, conduct first mission no later than 2014
• Series of robotic missions to the Moon beginning no later than 2008
• Return to the Moon as early as 2015 and no later than 2020
• Develop extended missions to the moon as a stepping stone towards a mission to Mars.

NASA… how are we doing? Other than naming the rockets ‘Ares’… are we really on track?