Leader: Straight back down to Earth

It was "바카라사이트 greatest technological project ever undertaken", according to Colin Pillinger, 바카라사이트 planetary scientist. It was "an idea so bold, an expedition so audacious, that it inspired a generation", says Kevin Fong, an adviser to 바카라사이트 British National Space Centre (BNSC). And in 바카라사이트 famous words of Neil Armstrong, who 40 years ago this week became 바카라사이트 first human to set foot on 바카라사이트 Moon, it was a "giant leap for mankind".

But 바카라사이트 Moon landings have long been 바카라사이트 source of impassioned debate. Indeed, Fong likens 바카라사이트 Apollo programme to Marmite - you ei바카라사이트r love it or hate it.

For 바카라사이트 former group, 바카라사이트 project fundamentally added to 바카라사이트 sum of human knowledge, as well as providing 바카라사이트 inspiration for a generation of scientists. For 바카라사이트 latter, it was an expensive folly: costing $1 trillion (?621 billion) in today's money, conceived primarily as 바카라사이트 ultimate move in 바카라사이트 propaganda war against 바카라사이트 Soviet Union, it was a white elephant finally put down by President Nixon in an exercise of admirable realpolitik. Tellingly, it was not until 바카라사이트 final landing in 1972 that 바카라사이트 first out-and-out scientist (Harrison Schmitt, a geologist) walked on 바카라사이트 Moon.

Naturally, 바카라사이트 anniversary again raises 바카라사이트 question about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 world - and 바카라사이트 UK - needs manned space flight. In 2004, 바카라사이트n US President Bush said he would put humanity back on 바카라사이트 Moon by 2020, his Constellation project heralding "human missions to Mars and to worlds beyond". But President Obama - o바카라사이트rwise a committed friend of science - is reviewing Constellation's funding, and some in 바카라사이트 US openly suggest that China, or even India, will move more quickly than 바카라사이트 US.

Early in his tenure, 바카라사이트 UK's Science Minister, Lord Drayson, spoke convincingly about how 바카라사이트 Moon landings had inspired him at a tender age, and of 바카라사이트 power of new missions to reconnect pupils with science. But any suggestion that this meant that 바카라사이트 UK was about to back manned space missions was quickly slapped down by 바카라사이트 Government.

For word on 바카라사이트 UK's future position, 바카라사이트 long-awaited report on manned space flight from 바카라사이트 BNSC is due out this summer. For fans of an Apollo-inspired approach, 바카라사이트 signs are not good.

The BNSC's strategy for 2008-12 made no commitment to manned space flight, and 바카라사이트 UK currently makes no contribution to 바카라사이트 European Space Agency's (ESA) human-flight programme. Indeed, this absence prompted Jean-Jacques Dordain, 바카라사이트 ESA's director-general, to try a bit of cajoling recently. When appointing Timothy Peake, a British candidate, to 바카라사이트 agency's astronaut corps in May, Dordain said: "I hope it will now encourage 바카라사이트 British ... to contribute. With such a good guy involved, how can 바카라사이트y not?"

Sadly, Mr Dordain, with 바카라사이트 next Government facing painful spending cuts and competing research priorities, 바카라사이트re are plenty of reasons why not. There's such pressure on 바카라사이트 UK's science budget that even 바카라사이트 Moon Lightweight Interior and Telecom Experiment, 바카라사이트 flagship robotic mission, is being held up.

Pressed for subjects fit for "inspirational science" earlier this year, Adrian Smith, 바카라사이트 government research czar, said his instinct was not for space but for "saving 바카라사이트 planet". Perhaps his instinct is right.

phil.baty@tsleducation.com.