This PDF shows a program overview for NASA’s Vision of Space Exploration which includes the goals, forecasts, organisation layout, and timelines set out by the U.S. Office of Exploration Systems for the periods between 2004 through to 2020.

Plans initially begin with proposed robotic explorations to the Moon followed by Mars and then on to other planets in our solar system. The tail-end of the project would see human explorations across the solar system in search of life, resources and revenue through commercial opportunities, with robotics and advance-telescopes searching further afield. Power and Propulsion systems are mentioned along with Project names such as Project Prometheus & Project Constellation.

"The fundamental goals outlined include advancing U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program".

Timeline included:

• Assemble the International Space Station (ISS) and focus research to support exploration goals (understanding environment and countermeasures
  
• Meet foreign commitments?
  
• Undertake lunar exploration (to support sustained human and robotic exploration to Mars and beyond).
  
• 2008 Launch first of a series of robotic missions to the Moon in preparation for human exploration.
  
• 2009-10 robotic missions to lunar surface.
  
• 2011 first unmanned Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) flight.
  
• 2012-15 Jupiter Icy Moon Orbiter (JIMO)/Prometheus (nuclear system/population program).
  
• 2014 first crewed CEV flight, capability for manned spaceflight.
  
• 2015-20 a manned expedition to the lunar surface as early as 2015 but no later than 2020.
  
• Conduct robotic exploration of Mars to prepare for future expeditions.
  
• Conduct robotic exploration across solar system to search for life, understand history, and recover resources.
  
• Conduct advanced-telescope searches for habitable environments around other stars.
  
• Conduct human expedition of Mars.
  
• Develop a new crew exploration vehicle with flight test before end of decade. Human exploration capability by 2014.
  
• Pursue international participation.
  
• Pursue commercial opportunity for transport and other services.
  

It seems that NASA was thinking that they would always be the senior partner in any project concerning space exploration and exploitation. That idea seems to be passing as more and more companies are actually wanting to compete with NASA.

Such competition would be good for NASA in the long run, but may be met with stiff opposition in the short term. In these pages we see the organization's road map for the future, and there's no recognition that anyone else, or any other nation, will be on that highway. Sadly, NASA is expensive, and other nations and private enterprise could deal a big blow in several areas of space exploration.

But over all, a good read as it sets forth the intentions and expectations for the agency in the coming decade or so.