BARACK OBAMA: "We will start by sending astronauts to an asteroid for the first time in history. By the mid-twenty thirties, I believe we can send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to Earth, and a landing on Mars will follow. And I expect to be around to see it."
His plan also calls for spending three billion dollars on improvements to the Kennedy Space Center. The administration says more than two thousand five hundred jobs will be created on the Space Coast. That could help ease some of the concern about job losses after the shuttle retirement.
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BARBARA KLEIN: Buzz Aldrin was the second person ever to walk on the moon. He stepped foot on the surface right after Neil Armstrong. He supports focusing on Mars rather than returning to the moon.
BUZZ ALDRIN: "Why should we do something when we’ve already done it?"
But he recognizes that some people have strong feelings about the issue.
BUZZ ALDRIN: "Obviously there are a lot of people that are unhappy about the potential of altering the future of space flight."
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STEVE EMBER: President Obama says he understands that some people believe a return to the moon should be attempted first, as previously planned. But, in his words, "We've been there before."
Critics of his plan, however, say it could threaten America's leadership in space exploration.
China put an astronaut into space in two thousand three, and it plans to send a robotic explorer to the moon two years from now. Next year, the Chinese plan to launch a small space laboratory to practice docking of spacecraft in orbit.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25