On March 21, the head of the White House, Donald Trump, signed the NASA funding bill for 2017 in the amount of $ 19.5 billion and $ 19.1 billion for 2018.
All these funds were allocated for the preparation of a manned flight to Mars.
“I am honored to sign this bill,” Trump said on his Twitter page.
"The document should provide support for NASA scientists, engineers, astronauts," - writes the American president.
Mr Trump is confident that the bill he signed is a guarantee that NASA's most important, most effective programs will be supported. Trump also asked specialists to speed up the creation of ships for delivering astronauts to the ISS.
Recall that the agency plans to fly to Mars in 2033.
The document notes the importance of the Orion program, in which the ship must go into distant space. Orion will be launched using the Space Launch System.
"NASA will continue to develop the SLS system to fly humans to the Moon, Mars and beyond during this century," the text of the bill says.
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