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Astronauts and research projects headed to the International Space Station may soon be carried aboard commercial rather than NASA vehicles, according to a new three-year authorization bill for the U.S. space agency passed by Congress last week. The measure shifts NASA’s focus away from returning to the moon and places it on reaching farther into space, including orbiting Mars. Instead of moon landings, S. 3729 suggests spending $1.3 billion over the next three years for commercial spacecraft companies to develop cargo and crew vehicles to ferry astronauts to the space station. Opponents of the move criticized the plan as too costly and unrealistic, adding that it relies entirely on an underdeveloped commercial space flight industry to reach ISS. The measure also would extend operation of ISS until 2020 and suggests nearly $5 billion a year in funding for science programs. The bill now awaits President Barack Obama’s signature.
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