▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Space ▁Station ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁and ▁the ▁ret irement ▁of ▁the ▁space ▁sh utt le ▁while ▁developing ▁a ▁new ▁space craft ▁called ▁the ▁C rew ▁Ex pl oration ▁Ve h icle ▁under ▁the ▁title ▁Project ▁Const ell ation . ▁The ▁CE V ▁would ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁return ▁American ▁astr onaut s ▁to ▁the ▁Moon ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁with ▁the ▁objective ▁of ▁establish ing ▁a ▁permanent ▁lun ar ▁base , ▁and ▁eventually ▁sending ▁future ▁man ned ▁miss ions ▁to ▁Mars . ▁To ▁this ▁end , ▁the ▁plan ▁propos es ▁that ▁NASA ' s ▁budget ▁increase ▁by ▁five ▁percent ▁every ▁year ▁until ▁it ▁is ▁c apped ▁at ▁US $ 1 8 ▁billion ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁with ▁only ▁infl ation ary ▁increases ▁there after . ▁The ▁planned ▁ret irement ▁of ▁the ▁Space ▁Sh utt le ▁fleet ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁after ▁the ▁I SS ▁is ▁completed ▁is ▁also ▁expected ▁to ▁free ▁up ▁US $ 5 ▁billion ▁to ▁US $ 6 ▁billion ▁a ▁year . ▁The ▁US $ 1 6 . 2 ▁billion ▁budget ▁for ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁proposed ▁by ▁NASA ▁met ▁with ▁resistance ▁from ▁House ▁and ▁Senate ▁sp ending ▁comm itte es , ▁and ▁the ▁initi ative ▁was ▁little - ment ioned ▁during ▁the ▁president ial ▁campaign . ▁Non eth eless , ▁the ▁budget ▁was ▁approved ▁with ▁only ▁minor ▁changes ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁November ▁elections . ▁ ▁Supp or ters ▁believe ▁that ▁this ▁plan ▁will ▁be ▁an