NASA's acting administrator has instructed top staff to dramatically speed up plans to send mankind beyond the orbit of Earth for the first time since 1972.
Robert Lightfoot, who was previously the space agency's acting Associate Administrator, has asked staff to initiate a study to assess the feasibility of adding a crew to Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
The mission was designed to be uncrewed, and was expected to launch in 2018.
By moving the manned mission up, commentators say it could give President Trump a 'Nixonesque' moment - and also prove the worth of Nasa's SLS megarocket as it vies for funding.