While NASA’s leadership has its eye on cislunar space and Mars as the next destination for astronauts, European Space Agency Director General Johann-Dietrich Wörner believes the lunar surface offers the best chance of ensuring the International Space Station’s (ISS) 15-nation global partnership flourishes.

William Gerstenmaier, NASA’s associate administrator for human exploration and operations, and Wörner politely elaborated on their differing positions before an Aug. 13 Space Symposium panel entitled “The Future of Human Space Exploration.”

NASA could and should have built one decades ago. What happened? If we could get someone with some real vision in the White House, this may yet come to pass. To read more, click here.