Mike Pence promises that Americans will be back on the Moon by 2024

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The Americans will return to the moon by 2024, Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday at a meeting of the National Council of Space.

"It's the declared policy of this administration and the United States of America to send American astronauts back to the moon in the next five years," said Mr. Pence.

The Vice President also said that the ambitious goal – four years earlier than NASA's current schedule for a lunar landing – would be achieved "by all means necessary".

"This is the time for the next giant leap," he said, echoing the famous words of astronaut Neil Armstrong, who became the first man to walk on the moon's floor nearly 50 years ago. years. "This next giant step is to send American astronauts back to the moon [by 2024] … and to establish a permanent presence on the moon and to prepare the sending of American astronauts on Mars. "

RELATED: NASA probe in the sun

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NASA launches Parker solar probe to "touch the sun"

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CAP CANAVERAL – AUGUST 8: In this NASA document, the Delta United Alliance heavy rocket payload fairing is seen with the NASA and Parker Solar Probe emblems on August 8, 2018 at Launch Complex 37, Air Station of Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Parker solar probe will move into the atmosphere of the Sun, closer to the surface than any other spacecraft before. (Photo by Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images)

CAP CANAVERAL – AUGUST 10: In this NASA paper, Eugene Zerbuchen, NASA's Associate Administrator for the Direction of Science Mission, left, American astrophysicist and Emeritus Professor of the University of Chicago, President and CEO United Launch Alliance Tony Bruno poses for a group photo in front of the ULA Delta IV Heavy rocket with NASA's Parker Solar onboard at Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Base on August 10, 2018 at Cape Canaveral , in Florida. This is NASA's first mission to bear the name of a living individual. Parker Solar Probe is the very first mission of humanity in part of the Suns atmosphere called the crown. Here, he will directly explore the solar processes that are essential to understanding and predicting the spatial weather phenomena that can affect life on Earth. (Photo by Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images)

CAP CAN CANVERAL, FL – AUGUST 10: In this document provided by NASA, associate director of NASA for the Science Mission Directorate, Thomas Zurbuchen, left, American astrophysicist, professor emeritus at the University of Chicago, Eugene Parker, President and Chief Executive Officer Tory Bruno, United Launch Alliance, pose for a group photo in front of the ULA Delta IV Heavy rocket with NASA's Parker Solar aboard on Friday, August 10, 2018 at Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Base, Florida. This is NASA's first mission to bear the name of a living individual. Parker Solar Probe is the very first mission of humanity in part of the Suns atmosphere called the crown. Here, he will directly explore the solar processes that are essential to understanding and predicting the spatial weather phenomena that can affect life on Earth. (Photo by Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images)

A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket on Space Launch Complex-37 on Friday, August 10, 2018, will drive the NASA solar probe to an interplanetary trajectory in the sun. The launch is scheduled for Saturday morning. (Red Huber / Orlando Sentinel / TNS via Getty Images)

CAP CANAVERAL, FL – AUGUST 10: This long-exposure photograph shows the demoted mobile service tower to reveal the United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket with the Parker Solar Probe on board, on Friday, August 10, 2018, Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Parker Solar Probe is the very first mission of humanity in part of the Suns atmosphere called the crown. Here, he will directly explore the solar processes that are essential to understanding and predicting the spatial weather phenomena that can affect life on Earth. (Photo by Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images)

CAP-CANAVERAL, FL – AUGUST 10: In this brochure provided by NASA, the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket with the Parker solar probe on board is seen shortly after the dismantling of the mobile service tower on Friday 10 August 2018. Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base, Florida. Parker Solar Probe is the very first mission of humanity in part of the Suns atmosphere called the crown. Here, he will directly explore the solar processes that are essential to understanding and predicting the spatial weather phenomena that can affect life on Earth. (Photo by Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images)

CAP CANAVERAL, FL – AUGUST 11: In this document provided by NASA, the mobile service tower is canceled to reveal the heavy Delta United Launch Alliance rocket with the Parker Solar Probe on board on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, complex of Launch 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida. Parker Solar Probe is the very first mission of humanity in part of the Suns atmosphere called the crown. Here, he will directly explore the solar processes that are essential to understanding and predicting the spatial weather phenomena that can affect life on Earth. (Photo by Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images)

CAP CANAVERAL, FL – AUGUST 10: In this NASA-supplied document, United Launch Alliance's Delta Launch Heavy rocket with Parker solar probe is illuminated before launch on Saturday, August 11, 2018, at Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 37 Air Force Station in Florida. Parker Solar Probe is the very first mission of humanity in part of the Suns atmosphere called the crown. Here, he will directly explore the solar processes that are essential to understanding and predicting the spatial weather phenomena that can affect life on Earth. (Photo by Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images)

CAP CANAVERAL, FL – AUGUST 10: In this document provided by NASA, the mobile service tower is canceled to reveal the heavy Delta United Launch Alliance rocket with the Parker solar probe on board, Friday, August 10, 2018, launch complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida. Parker Solar Probe is the very first mission of humanity in part of the Suns atmosphere called the crown. Here, he will directly explore the solar processes that are essential to understanding and predicting the spatial weather phenomena that can affect life on Earth. (Photo by Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images)

CAP CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – AUGUST 12: In this NASA-provided document, the United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy rocket launches NASA's Solar Parker solar probe to hit the sun from launch pad 37 at the Air Force Base. Cape Canaveral on August 12, 2018 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Parker Solar Probe is the very first mission of humanity in part of the Suns atmosphere called the crown. The probe will directly explore the solar processes that are essential for understanding and predicting the spatial weather phenomena that can affect life on Earth. (Photo by Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images)

CAP CAN CANVERAL, FL – AUGUST 11: In this NASA-supplied flyer, the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket with the Parker Solar Probe on board, is reflected in the water on the launch pad, Saturday, Aug. 11 2018, Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base, Florida. Parker Solar Probe is the very first mission of humanity in part of the Suns atmosphere called the crown. Here, he will directly explore the solar processes that are essential to understanding and predicting the spatial weather phenomena that can affect life on Earth. (Photo by Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images)

CAP CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – AUGUST 12: In this booklet provided by NASA, United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy rocket appears in this long exposure photo at the launch of NASA's Parker Solar Probe at Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral. Air Force Station on August 12, 2018 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Parker Solar Probe is the very first mission of humanity in part of the Suns atmosphere called the crown. The probe will directly explore the solar processes that are essential for understanding and predicting the spatial weather phenomena that can affect life on Earth. (Photo by Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images)

Launch of NASA's Parker Solar Probe from NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, August 12, 2018. REUTERS / Mike Brown

Noting the recent progress of China and Russia in space, Pence added that the United States is currently in a "space race".

"It's not just the competition against our opponents," Pence said. "We are also running against our worst enemy – complacency."

The Vice President did not, however, explain how the administration planned to achieve this goal without a significant acceleration of expenditures. Although NASA's budget rising to $ 21.5 billion for 2019 is the largest in years, the administration has proposed to reduce it to $ 21 billion next year , with subsequent annual increases of only 1%, reported the New York Times.

The Trump administration has also proposed significantly reducing the funding of NASA's space launch system, an essential element of the agency's lunar landing plans.

Still, Jim Bridenstine, NASA's director, said confident Tuesday that the agency could reach the new 2024 target:

Lockheed Martin, one of the major subcontractors working with NASA to bring humans back to the moon, said they were equally optimistic.

"Lockheed Martin fully supports NASA 's goal of accelerating the landing of humans on the surface of the moon," said the aerospace company in a statement issued after the launch. announcement of Pence, according to Space News. "With the right level of commitment, urgency and resources, humans could walk to the surface by 2024."

The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration, an industrial group made up of several NASA contractors, was more cautious in its response.

"While we support the White House's focus on deep space exploration and the sense of urgency generated by ambitious timelines and goals, we are also aware of resources that will be needed to achieve these goals, "said the group in a statement. "Bold plans must be accompanied by bold resources made available in a consistent manner to ensure successful execution."

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.

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