Jim Bridenstine, the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, published an essay in the website Ozy late last week.

In it he made a bold statement of intent; when the space agency goes to the Moon again, they're staying there for good.

"We are going to the moon with innovative new technologies and systems to explore more locations across the surface than we ever thought possible," Bridenstine wrote. "This time, when we go to the moon, we will stay."

Also Read: NASA To Start Work On Next Space Adventure, Build 'Gateway' Station Orbiting The Moon In 2019

Bridenstine's statement echoes previously disclosed plans for a Lunar Gateway, which is supposed to be like a secondary space station orbiting the Moon. When built, it will serve as a crewed outpost with the first ever reusable lunar lander system. That way NASA can build an outpost on the Moon where they can mine for resources and, more importantly, refuel ships after Earth launches for longer trips out into our solar system.

For this, Bridenstine understands that private spaceflight ventures will be absolutely to to its success. NASA, he says, is currently partnered with nine different American space companies. These are either working on regularising cargo deliveries to the ISS (and eventually the Moon), or on the gateway itself.

Also Read: NASA Will Send Automated Robots To The Moon By 2019 To Prepare It For Human Astronaut Missions

"Following a buildup of capabilities, our goal is to land astronauts on the moon within the next decade," Bridenstine wrote. "Billions of people around the world will watch history being made as astronauts explore more of the surface for longer periods of time than ever before, and help us prepare for missions to Mars and other destinations."

Maybe this is a project that will even be completed in our generation. And maybe, just maybe, we'll for the first time be able to witness astronauts flying even further, to Mars and beyond.