This is surely one of the reasons why Mr Isaacman’s memo, and the accompanying presentations made by him and senior members of his team during a daylong event at NASA ’s headquarters, turned the agency’s vague aspirations towards a permanent Moon base into something far more concrete.

"NASA is committed to achieving the near-impossible once again: to return to the moon before the end of President [Donald] Trump's term, build a moon base, establish an enduring p