The State Of NASA's Budget As Pence Seeks New Moon Landing

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has declared that the Trump administration wants to send humans back to the moon by 2024. That is four years earlier than NASA's previous target of 2028. Apart from changing rockets and switching between contractors, Pence did not provide any information as to how NASA will achieve another moon landing by 2024. For starters, the agency will need a much bigger budget. NASA's budget for FY 2019 is $21.5 billion, representing 0.49 percent of the federal budget.

The following infographic provides a long term overview going back to the late 1950s. Apollo 17 was the final mission of NASA's Apollo program and it marks the last time humans walked on the moon. The budget for space exploration was much higher that year, accounting for 1.48 percent of the total federal budget. The share reached its highest point in 1966 at 4.41 percent.