http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5e/Orion_capsule_at_KSC.JPG/800px-Orion_capsule_at_KSC.JPG
Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) mockup.

According to Michael Griffin, NASA administrator, astronauts will walk again the surface of the Moon by 2018. He promised in September 19, 2005 at a press conference called to unveil NASA’s plans to implement the President Bush’s "Vision for Space Exploration", which was previously announced in January 2004.

The key component in NASA’s proposed architecture is the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), which was called for in the President’s statement, it will make possible the easy and reliable access to space. The CEV design is conceptually inspired by the Apollo program, and makes extensive use of components from the Space Shuttle and its boosters.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Orion_lunar_orbit_%28Sept_2006%29.jpg/750px-Orion_lunar_orbit_%28Sept_2006%29.jpg

Recently in June 2009, under the new NASA administration of General Charles Bolden, the space agency indicated it is still on track with the 4-year-old plan to spend $35 billion to build the new rockets and return astronauts to the moon in several years. However, a top NASA's shuttle program manager John Shannon came with a cut-rate alternative that costs around $6.6 billion.

This cheaper option is not as powerful as NASA's current design with its fancy new rockets, the people-carrying Ares I and cargo-lifting Ares V. But the cut-rate plan would still get to the moon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q08PryGxoc

The new model calls for flying lunar vehicles on something very familiar looking, the old space shuttle system with its gigantic orange fuel tank and twin solid-rocket boosters, minus the shuttle itself. There are two new vehicles this rocket would carry - one generic cargo container, the other an Apollo-like capsule for astronaut travel. Those new vehicles could both go to the moon or the international space station.

John Shannon called the plan Shuttle-Derived Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle which would only be able to carry two astronauts at a time instead of the planned three or four.

On returning to the Moon mapping of its surface will be done, we will search for its origins and will find out what humans could use to survive.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/CEVReentry.jpg/800px-CEVReentry.jpg
Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) reentry.
Source(s):
http://www.planetary.org/news/2005/0919_NASA_Unveils_Plans_to_Return_to_the...

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hA4L6oQ1E7gdbMINREA9s-LGa...

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