That Euro-Vision Thing 

While NASA and the U.S. are patiently awaiting word from the president on what America's new roadmap for the future of spaceflight will be like, Europeans have already seen the future, but now it's there turn to be patient. The ESA plan calls for landing Euronauts on Mars, but not for another 30 years. More disappointingly, while the ESA plan would return men to the Moon (as rumors suggest the Bush plan may mandate), they wouldn't be landing until 2024--a far cry from "before this decade is out."
To be fair, there is a difference--Europe still lacks even the modicum of manned spaceflight capability that the U.S. had when Kennedy made his announcement. Despite all of its accomplishments, ESA is still an agency which has never built a manned spacecraft.
I'm curious to see how, or if, this will affect U.S. plans. While it's nice to hear others talking about manned exploration of the Solar System, the lackadaisical pace they have outlined could actually have a detrimental effect, turning what could have been a space race into a space lounge.

:: :: 09:18 :: David :: [permalink] ::