The US will return astronauts to the moon before the end of 2024, according to the country’s vice-president, Mike Pence.

He made the announcement last week at the fifth meeting of the National Space Council, which took place at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

About a fortnight before the meeting, Nasa had submitted a budget aimed at returning humans to the moon by 2028. Speaking after the vice-president’s announcement, the Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement: “It is the right time for this challenge, and I assured the vice-president that we, the people of Nasa, are up to the challenge.”

The stumbling block, however, could very well be the cost of an accelerated programme. Nasa will require additional funds to meet the goal, which represents the wishes of Donald Trump.

It is currently revising its budget request, which must then be agreed by Congress. This agreement is not guaranteed. At a meeting of the House science committee on 2 April 2019, its chairwoman, Eddie Bernice Johnson, the democratic representative for Texas, questioned the need to accelerate the programme. Nasa is planning to submit its new budget request around the middle of April.