The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) is working with commercial firms like SpaceX and Boeing to launch " American astronauts from American soil on American - made rockets " , according to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine . Since 2011 , NASA has paid more than $ 70 million per seat to hitch a ride on Russia 's Soyuz . " Bridenstine also said public - private partnerships would drive the US space agency 's scheduled 2024 return to the Moon , a move encouraged by US President Donald Trump , where resources including water ice and rare Earth minerals could be worth " tens of trillions of dollars " .
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) is working with commercial firms like SpaceX and Boeing to launch " American astronauts from American soil on American - made rockets " , according to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine . Since 2011 , NASA has paid more than $ 70 million per seat to hitch a ride on Russia 's Soyuz . Bridenstine also said public - private partnerships would drive the US space agency 's scheduled 2024 return to the Moon , a move encouraged by US President Donald Trump , where resources including water ice and rare Earth minerals could be worth " tens of trillions of dollars " .