High-tech animation brings the projected 2018 moon mission to life—from blastoff to lunar touchdown to return.

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• NASA Aims for Moon by 2018, Unveils New Ship

September 19, 2005—Today NASA unveiled plans to return humans to the moon by 2018. Astronauts will travel in a new vehicle that combines technologies developed for the space shuttle and Apollo programs.

The last lunar landing took place during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

The new plan is expected to cost about 104 billion U.S. dollars over the next 13 years. If successful, the plan will help President George W. Bush achieve the vision for space exploration that he outlined on January 14, 2004. At that time Bush said his goal is to return humans to the moon by 2020.

—John Roach