President Trump has now made it official national policy that NASA will lead an effort to land humans on the moon, and that return to human spaceflight as America's top space goal is good news for Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center.
Trump signed Space Policy Directive 1 Monday afternoon at the White House. The directive changes national policy to direct the NASA administrator to lead an effort of the agency, commercial, and international partners to return to the moon and then go to Mars.
Space policy under President Obama had emphasized energizing commercial space companies, growing international cooperation, studying the Earth, and developing systems to provide safe and stable space access.
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville is leading development of the Space Launch System. It's NASA's entry in the government-commercial push toward big rockets that can carry humans and cargo to deep space. Trump's decision should mean continued stable budgets - and possibly increases - to keep SLS moving forward toward its first launch now expected in early 2020.
"The directive I am signing today will refocus America's space program on human exploration and discovery," Trump said. "It marks a first step in returning American astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972, for long-term exploration and use. This time, we will not only plant our flag and leave our footprints - we will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars, and perhaps someday, to many worlds beyond."
Standing behind Trump at the signing ceremony was U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville), who represents North Alabama where the Marshall center is located and is vice chairman of the House space subcommittee. Also present was former Apollo astronaut and Sen. Jack Schmitt, one of the last men to walk on the moon.
"The directive marks an important step forward for NASA, returning American astronauts to the moon to establish the foundation for an expedition to Mars and the broader solar system," Brooks said in a statement. "I am extremely proud of the leading role the Tennessee Valley will play in accomplishing President Trump's directive. The Space Launch System (SLS), a portion of which is being developed and tested at Marshall, is the vehicle American astronauts will utilize for deep space exploration."
Gov. Kay Ivey also issued a statement today praising the policy directive. "I applaud President Trump and NASA for the clear vision that continued space exploration is the next frontier," Ivey said. "Alabamians have proven that their ingenuity and determination are unstoppable. We will take this new task and work tirelessly to send Americans safely to the moon and beyond."
(Updated at 9:30 p.m. CST to include comments by Rep. Mo Brooks)