CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (NewsNation Now) — NASA has big plans to put the first woman and the next man on the moon in 2024.

This is part of NASA’s $28 billion plan to send astronauts back to the lunar surface on a powerful new rocket. On Tuesday, NASA signed a memorandum of understanding between the space agency and the U.S. Space Force.

Earlier in the week, the agency released its detailed phase one plans.

“With bipartisan support from Congress, our 21st century push to the Moon is well within America’s reach,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “As we’ve solidified more of our exploration plans in recent months, we’ve continued to refine our budget and architecture. We’re going back to the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for a new a generation of explorers. As we build up a sustainable presence, we’re also building momentum toward those first human steps on the Red Planet.”

Over the next several years, NASA engineers say they will conduct several tests of the rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to check the spacecraft’s performance, life support and communication capabilities.