One of the first men to walk on the Moon has told Sky News the United States should forget about going back – and focus on a mission to Mars instead.
Captain Alan Bean said the US should work with the international community to explore new frontiers in space.
The 77-year-old was part of the Apollo 12 mission and became the fourth man to walk on the Moon.
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the historic moment astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the lunar surface.
Captain Alan Bean said the US should work with the international community to explore new frontiers in space.
The 77-year-old was part of the Apollo 12 mission and became the fourth man to walk on the Moon.
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the historic moment astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the lunar surface.
Forget The Moon – Go To Mars
11:48am UK, Monday July 20, 2009
Greg Milam, US correspondent
One of the first men to walk on the Moon has told Sky News the United States should forget about going back – and focus on a mission to Mars instead.
Astronaut Alan Bean with a container of lunar soil collected during Apollo XII (Apollo 12) extravehicular activity in 1969.
Alan Bean walks on the moon in 1969
Captain Alan Bean said the US should work with the international community to explore new frontiers in space.
The 77-year-old was part of the Apollo 12 mission and became the fourth man to walk on the Moon.
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the historic moment astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the lunar surface.
Interactive Solar System
Nasa is planning to return to the Moon by 2020 but Captain Bean told Sky News: “We ought to gather the international community and go to Mars.
“I know it isn’t how others feel because it is much cheaper to go back to the Moon but I would rather we went to Mars.
“If we did it with all those other countries it would have a tremendously unifying effect on the Earth. It would be an inspiration for all people on Earth.”
Neil Armstrong On Moon Landing 40 Years Ago
Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the Moon, has already declared that he believes Mars should be the primary target for Nasa.
But the US space agency is more concerned at the outcome of a review of human space flight, ordered by President Barack Obama and due to report in August.
There have been suggestions that Nasa’s budget will be cut and that plans will have to be scaled back.
Astronaut Alan Bean with a container of lunar soil collected during Apollo XII (Apollo 12) extravehicular activity in 1969.
But Nasa’s director of integration Dr John Olson told Sky News: “In Apollo, we saw seven to 10 dollars return for every one dollar invested.
“In these difficult economic times it causes one to think ‘Is this the right investment?’ but precisely because of that tangible return we should do this.”
Nasa has held a series of events to mark the 40th anniversary of the Apollo landing.
Last night, Armstrong himself made a rare public appearance alongside his Apollo 11 colleagues, Aldrin and Michael Collins.
