Mars, here we come!

It's official! On Wednesday, there was a bill introduced that will set a goal for human exploration of space. Read the press release below:

PRESS RELEASE
Date Released: Wednesday, May 15, 2002
House Science Committee, Democratic Membership

Lampson Introduces Bill to Stimulate Human Space Exploration
(Washington) - U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson (D-TX) introduced bipartisan
legislation today to establish a series of goals to advance the
nation's human space flight program over the next twenty years.

Among the goals specified in the bill, the eight-year goal would
require the development and flight demonstration of a reusable space
vehicle capable of carrying humans from low Earth orbit to libration
points in space, which could be used to assemble large-scale
scientific observatories far beyond low Earth orbit. The twenty-year
goal would require development of a reusable vehicle to carry humans
to and from Martian orbit, development of a human occupied research
facility on one of the moons of Mars, and development of a reusable
vehicle to carry astronauts from Martian orbit to Mars and back.

The bill will allow the best, most innovative mission concepts to
compete. The bill also sets tough requirements for periodic
independent cost and schedule reviews to ensure that the exploration
initiative is properly managed.

"The real obstacle we face in overcoming the drift in the nation's
human space flight program is not technological and it's not
financial - it's the lack of commitment to get started. We don't need
another national commission to come up with goals for human space
flight beyond low Earth orbit," said Lampson. "What we need is a
national commitment to carry out any one of the many worthy goals
that have been articulated to date. The Space Exploration Act of 2002
provides this commitment with a concrete set of goals for the
nation's human space flight program after the International Space
Station."

The Ranking Democratic Member of the Science Committee, Rep. Ralph M.
Hall said, "Rep. Lampson's bill is an important step in establishing
a vision for NASA's human space flight program. I'm pleased to be a
cosponsor of the bill, and I hope that the Science Committee will
incorporate these goals in the NASA authorization bill when we mark
it up next month."

The bill also establishes an Office of Exploration within NASA to
carry out the programs to meet the goals and authorizes $50 million
and $200 million for FY 2003 and 2004, respectively.

How amazing is that! I might actually get invlolved in this one. Maybe I'll even call my congressperson. I really would like to be able to go to Mars. If they have a 20yr plan, it would be perfect. I would be 43. That is perfect. I'm so excited! I need to start training now!