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NASA landed on the moon exactly half a century ago on Sunday, July 20, 1969. The astronomical journey led by astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins has inspired generations of scientists and engineers alike. to become. But in the 50 years since the Moon landed, the circumstances under which the Apollo program was made possible have changed dramatically. As a result, some believe that it is now up to the private sector to take us back to the stars.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, and Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon and Blue Origin, are two names taken very seriously in discussions about the future of manned spaceflight.
Musk, 48, built his multi-billion-dollar empire on the backs of Paypal, the Tesla electric engine company, and his California-based SpaceX rocket company.
In 2011, after the end of the Space Shuttle program, SpaceX was given the task of transporting NASA cargo to the International Space Station (ISS).
The company is currently developing an inhabited spacecraft to send human astronauts into the ISS as part of NASA's commercial flight crew development initiative.
READ MORE: Moon landing: 11 amazing facts about NASA's Apollo 11 mission
Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos will lead the space race to the Moon and beyond (Image: GETTY)
Elon Musk wants to revolutionize the way humans go to the moon and Mars (Image: GETTY)
But Bezos, 55, is not far behind, staring at the landing of his own spacecraft on the Moon and beyond.
Recently, addressing CBS, he warned that space travel was an unfortunate necessity, as it was "destroying this planet" – the only home humanity has ever known.
Taking these ambitious ambitions into account, Professor Craig Underwood of the Surrey Space Center at the University of Surrey told Express.co.uk that the return to the Moon and Mars would be done by private entities.
He said: "In a way, we have again the feeling of a race with China, India, the United States and Russia all wanting to return to the moon.
READ MORE: What happened to the American flag posed by the Apollo 11 astronauts?
"But I think it will be China and it will also be a private company, which will allow us to move forward.
It will be a private company that will allow NASA to get where it needs to go
Professor Craig Underwood, Surrey Space Center
"So with Elon Musk and SpaceX, as well as Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin, we find that this kind of thirst for rapid innovation comes from private enterprise.
"Maybe even more than government institutions like NASA, which are nowadays a little more conservative perhaps than the private sector."
SpaceX's biggest claim is the Falcon 9 Reusable Booster Rocket, a pioneer with every successive launch of the future of low-cost orbital launches.
READ MORE: Quotes about landing on the moon: "A small step" and other memorable speeches
The rocket manufacturer has also demonstrated its ability to send a spacecraft in space, the Crew Dragon, designed for human astronaut crews.
Blue Origin, for its part, unveiled in May this year its plan to send humans into space aboard the Blue Lander spacecraft.
And while NASA continues to explore the universe, it will be up to private venture capitalists to really push the boundaries of what is possible.
Professor Underwood said, "I believe that President Trump's instruction to NASA to reach the moon by 2024 will be very difficult to achieve.
SEE HERE: Amazing behind the scenes of Moon landing training for Apollo 11
Our moon is the fifth largest moon in the solar system (Image: GETTY)
Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin Race SpaceX to the Moon (Image: GETTY)
"I mean, their original plan, I think, was for 2028. Looking at the program right now, there's a lot of things to do before they can get ready.
"But I think Elon Musk might be ready for that kind of weather.
"I know that he wants to send his Starliner in space by 2023, so I can quite believe that it will be a private company that will allow NASA to get to where it needs to be." go.
NASA wants to place the first woman on the moon by the end of the decade under the Artemis program.
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