Back to the Moon, or onward to Mars?

As the space shuttle program winds down, there’s debate in space policy circles about where the United States should aim next – back to Earth’s Moon, or onward to Mars.

Scott Pace, director of George Washington University’s Space Policy Institute, has a response to people who contend that Moon exploration is so 40 years ago.

Scott Pace: "There is just so much we don’t know about deep radiation, long-term exposure to weightlessness, making equipment that’s reliable enough. It’s one thing to go to the Moon which is three days away from Earth; it’s another thing to go to Mars which is two years away."

Pace told KPCC’s Patt Morrison that landing on Mars is not technically possible. That said, Pace maintains that it’s detrimental to bench astronauts and not apply their skills, training, and talent for five years at a time or more.