{"id":11293,"date":"2024-04-27T19:36:01","date_gmt":"2024-04-27T19:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/used82.com\/?p=11293"},"modified":"2024-04-27T19:36:01","modified_gmt":"2024-04-27T19:36:01","slug":"astronaut-reveals-the-real-reason-why-no-human-has-been-to-the-moon-in-the-last-50-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/used82.com\/?p=11293","title":{"rendered":"Astronaut reveals the real reason why no human has been to the moon in the last 50 years"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"article-header_meta__N4zeN\">\n<div class=\"article-header_summary__sAc2l\">\n<h2 class=\"summary_summary__q_VAA\">The reason why no human has been back to the moon in the last 50 years might surprise you\u2026<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-header_metaWrapper__P4a1g\">\n<div class=\"article-header_author__I1S0n\">\n<div class=\"author-bio_container__mJB1O\">\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\"><strong>Going to the moon has long been a goal of humanity. A feat so impressive we did it a few times and then thought\u2026 yeah, that\u2019ll do.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">If you were alive for the\u00a0<a class=\"link_link__LDfG6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unilad.com\/space\">Apollo 11 moon landing<\/a>\u00a0in 1969 \u2013 the first to put humans on the celestial body \u2013 you would be forgiven for thinking that we would have a bigger presence on it by now.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">In the 70s, people likely spoke of future\u00a0<a class=\"link_link__LDfG6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unilad.com\/travel\">moon tourism<\/a>, maybe a theme park or a casino, who knows! But what they probably wouldn\u2019t think is the last time a human would set foot on it would be in 1972.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">Even still,\u00a0<a class=\"link_link__LDfG6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unilad.com\/nasa\">NASA<\/a>\u00a0putting 12 people on the moon remains one of the greatest achievements of the space agency, if not humanity as a whole.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">However, it does beg the question, why did we stop going back?<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">There are still lots of reasons to return to the dusty rock in the sky, and NASA has said they plan to put US astronauts back on the moon around late 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">But what is with the big pause in the first place?<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">Well, astronaut Jim Bridenstine, who ran NASA during the\u00a0<a class=\"link_link__LDfG6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unilad.com\/donald-trump\">Donald Trump<\/a>\u00a0administration, has explained that it\u2019s not\u00a0<a class=\"link_link__LDfG6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unilad.com\/science\">science<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<a class=\"link_link__LDfG6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unilad.com\/technology\">technology<\/a>\u00a0limitations that have stopped the US from doing it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">Speaking to reports in 2018 he said: \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for the political risk, we would be on the moon right now.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-image_articleImage__eyzAn\">\n<div class=\"article-image_imageWrapper__ANtPE\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=3840&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blt17b6de65743c9c0a\/662ba52f8d0c0743355e29fb\/resize_(22).webp\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=640&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blt17b6de65743c9c0a\/662ba52f8d0c0743355e29fb\/resize_(22).webp 640w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=750&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blt17b6de65743c9c0a\/662ba52f8d0c0743355e29fb\/resize_(22).webp 750w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=828&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blt17b6de65743c9c0a\/662ba52f8d0c0743355e29fb\/resize_(22).webp 828w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=1080&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blt17b6de65743c9c0a\/662ba52f8d0c0743355e29fb\/resize_(22).webp 1080w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=1200&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blt17b6de65743c9c0a\/662ba52f8d0c0743355e29fb\/resize_(22).webp 1200w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=1920&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blt17b6de65743c9c0a\/662ba52f8d0c0743355e29fb\/resize_(22).webp 1920w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=2048&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blt17b6de65743c9c0a\/662ba52f8d0c0743355e29fb\/resize_(22).webp 2048w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=3840&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blt17b6de65743c9c0a\/662ba52f8d0c0743355e29fb\/resize_(22).webp 3840w\" alt=\"Heritage Space\/Heritage Images via Getty Images\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" data-nimg=\"fill\" \/><\/div>\n<p><cite class=\"image-credit_imageCredit__YMlqS\">Heritage Space\/Heritage Images via Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">\u201cIt was the political risks that prevented it from happening. The program took too long and it costs too much money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">And that is often what it can come down to, a mix of politics and economics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">NASA\u2019s 2023 budget is $25.4 billion, and the\u00a0<a class=\"link_link__LDfG6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unilad.com\/joe-biden\">Biden administration<\/a>\u00a0is asking Congress to boost that to $27.2 billion for 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">Which might sound like a lot, but the total gets split among all the agency\u2019s divisions and ambitious projects.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">And for context, the US defense budget for 2023 is about $858 billion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">On top of this, due to the money coming from the government, congress can often be slow to approve the budget which can slow down progress.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-image_articleImage__eyzAn\">\n<div class=\"article-image_imageWrapper__ANtPE\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=3840&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blta66fe354a230170f\/662ba571c7b46e64f72183f2\/Screenshot_2024-04-26_at_14.00.21.png\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=640&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blta66fe354a230170f\/662ba571c7b46e64f72183f2\/Screenshot_2024-04-26_at_14.00.21.png 640w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=750&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blta66fe354a230170f\/662ba571c7b46e64f72183f2\/Screenshot_2024-04-26_at_14.00.21.png 750w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=828&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blta66fe354a230170f\/662ba571c7b46e64f72183f2\/Screenshot_2024-04-26_at_14.00.21.png 828w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=1080&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blta66fe354a230170f\/662ba571c7b46e64f72183f2\/Screenshot_2024-04-26_at_14.00.21.png 1080w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=1200&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blta66fe354a230170f\/662ba571c7b46e64f72183f2\/Screenshot_2024-04-26_at_14.00.21.png 1200w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=1920&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blta66fe354a230170f\/662ba571c7b46e64f72183f2\/Screenshot_2024-04-26_at_14.00.21.png 1920w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=2048&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blta66fe354a230170f\/662ba571c7b46e64f72183f2\/Screenshot_2024-04-26_at_14.00.21.png 2048w, https:\/\/images.ladbible.com\/resize?type=webp&amp;quality=70&amp;width=3840&amp;fit=contain&amp;gravity=auto&amp;url=https:\/\/images.ladbiblegroup.com\/v3\/assets\/blt949ea8e16e463049\/blta66fe354a230170f\/662ba571c7b46e64f72183f2\/Screenshot_2024-04-26_at_14.00.21.png 3840w\" alt=\"NASA putting 12 people on the moon remains one of the greatest achievements of the space agency(Getty Stock Image)\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" data-nimg=\"fill\" \/><\/div>\n<p><cite class=\"image-credit_imageCredit__YMlqS\">NASA putting 12 people on the moon remains one of the greatest achievements of the space agency(Getty Stock Image)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">Apollo 7 astronaut Walter Cunningham spoke on the difficulties of getting more money from the government to actually send more people to the moon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">Speaking in 2015, he said: \u201cManned exploration is the most expensive space venture and, consequently, the most difficult for which to obtain political support.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">\u201cNASA\u2019s budget is way too low to do all the things that we\u2019ve talked about.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"text_text__nEn66\">In addition to this, other astronauts have noted that one president\u2019s promises regarding budget increases don\u2019t always come to fruition because they can be replaced by someone knew who can simply disregard the former president\u2019s promises.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The reason why no human has been back to the moon in the last 50&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"views":89,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/used82.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/used82.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/used82.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/used82.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/used82.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11293"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/used82.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11293\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/used82.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/used82.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/used82.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}