Back to the Moon!

Considering the current and planned space missions from nations all over the globe, all indicators are pointing to another race to the moon in the next decade. Following Bush's call for a return to the moon by 2020, NASA has released its plans for a new lunar orbiter to look for landing sites and a launch rocket to transport astronuats on future missions. The People's Republic of China has started the Chang'e space program with a launch set for early this fall. Just last week, Japan launched its own lunar orbiter SELENE in hopes of catching up with its Asian neighbor. To round off the edges, Russia plans a moon base by 2027 and India's Chandrayaan national space program project has its own ambitious goals. The sense of urgency that has overcome citizens across the globe is setting the stage for an astounding display of science, technology and discovery.