In the 1960s, the “Space Race” reigned – a perceived way for America to come out on top against the communist Soviet Union on all fronts. This eventually led to America’s first ascent to the moon before the Soviet Union, an event that was seen as a way of promoting America and democracy. Now, in 2017, President Donald Trump wants to bring America back to the limelight by returning to the moon, and eventually to Mars.

“We are the leader and we’re going to stay the leader, and we’re going to increase it many fold,” President Donald Trump said to reporters, signing a “Space Policy Directive 1″ that creates a baseline for missions to the moon in the near future and eventually Mars. “[The directive] marks an important step in returning American astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972 for long-term exploration and use. This time we will not only plan on flag and leave our footprint.” NASA administrator, Robert M. Lightfoot Jr., is responsible with leading this space program.

“NASA looks forward to supporting the president’s directive strategically aligning our work to return humans to the moon, travel to Mars and opening the deeper solar system beyond,” Lightfoot said in an interview. Jim Bridenstine, Trump’s current pick for NASA administrator, has yet to be confirmed.

The idea to return astronauts to the moon was something that both Trump and current Vice President Mike Pence touted during Trump’s campaign. “The administration will return American astronauts to the moon, not only to leave behind footprints and flags, but to build the foundation we need to send Americans to Mars and beyond,” Pence said in October at the first meeting of the National Space Council in Trump’s presidency. “The moon will be a stepping-stone, a training ground, a venue to strengthen our commercial and international partnerships as we refocus America’s space program toward human space exploration,” Pence said.

Other Republicans have expressed interest in going to the moon as well. This would abandon previous President Obama’s plan of landing astronauts on a small asteroid.

The directive, White House Press Secretary Hogan Gidley said, will push NASA to “refocus … on its core mission of space exploration.”