1The national space agency has announced plans to send astronauts back to the moon for the first time in more than half a century.
2The mission, which will include the first woman to walk on the lunar surface, is expected to launch within the next four years.
3Astronauts will spend up to two weeks near the moon's south pole, where scientists believe large amounts of frozen water may exist.
4That water could one day be turned into drinking supplies and even rocket fuel for much longer journeys deeper into space.
5The agency's director described the announcement as the beginning of a new golden age of exploration and international cooperation.
6Engineers have already tested the new rocket twice, and both test flights reached orbit without any serious technical problems.
7The total cost of the programme is estimated at around ninety billion dollars, spread over more than a decade of careful work.
8Critics argue that the money would be better spent on hospitals and schools, but public support for the mission remains strong.
9Four astronauts have already been chosen for the mission, and they will begin their final training programme early next year.
10If the landing succeeds, the agency hopes to build a small permanent base that could support missions to Mars within twenty years.