Landing on the Moon is So ... Yesterday

The National Academies website reported today that NASA has announced plans for a solar-powered lunar base in preparation for eventual missions to Mars and beyond.

By 2020, four-person crews will begin to establish a lunar base by bringing power supplies and rovers and building living quarters in a series of seven-day missions. Next, the crews will stay at the lunar base for 180-day missions to get ready for voyages to Mars. Read more.