Bridenstine of NASA :: We would be on Mars today … there was no "political risk"

NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said Sunday that the United States would be on Mars today if it did not have to assume "political risk".

In an interview with "Face The Nation," Bridenstine said that President Donald Trump was "100%" participating in his return to the moon in five years, but was focusing on "laying an American flag on March".

"There are two risks, a technical risk and a political risk," he said of lunar and Mars fire. "We would be on the moon now if the political risk did not exist – we would be really on Mars now, without the political risk."

He said by political risk: "I'm talking about financing."

"In the 1990s and early 2000s, we made efforts to return to the Moon and Mars and in each case the program took too much time and cost too much," he said. . "[W]What the president said is to eliminate the political risk that we want to go faster, return to the moon in five years … they have changed the budget and that's where we are. "

Bridenstine also said he spoke to Trump after a controversy on June 7th. tweet it called into question NASA's effort to return to the moon.

"I talked to him after this tweet. I wanted to make sure we were in alignment. We are absolutely, "he said. "And in fact, he said," I know we have to go to the moon to Mars, but he said, "What will be the generational success that will inspire all Americans? American on Mars, make sure you are attached to the flag on Mars. "

Bridenstine added that "we are going to the moon to learn how to live and work in another world and, ultimately, have more access to the solar system than ever before to make a joke on Mars".