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Article: Living on the moon: NASA shoots for the moon, then Mars.(Cover story)
- Article from:
- WR News, Edition 4 (including Science Spin)
- Article date:
- February 23, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Weekly Reader Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Only 12 people have set foot on the moon--so far. The last time was in late 1972, when two astronauts walked on its surface. Their final visit--the longest of any--lasted just three days. Now astronauts are preparing for another mission to our space neighbor. This time, though, they plan to stay there.
NASA recently announced plans to build a permanent base on the moon. Astronauts could be living and working there by 2020, according to the U.S. space agency. The goal is to prepare astronauts for a trip to Mars in the future.
Under the plan, four-person crews will begin with weeklong missions to the moon. By 2024, when more equipment has been set up, ...