WASHINGTON -- As SpaceX prepares to launch astronauts back into orbit from the U.S, the White House wants Congress to provide a 12 percent increase to NASA’s budget, with the goal to send astronauts back to the moon by 2024.

However, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, lawmakers are mainly focused on providing trillions of dollars in relief, leaving many to wonder whether the agency’s funding levels will be sufficient.

“We have some very aggressive timelines to get back to the moon, to handle the long-term future of the space station and eventually to get to Mars,” said Rep. Michael Waltz (R) Florida 6th District.

NASA’s return to the moon has been in the works for almost a decade, but to pull it off by 2024, the agency is going to need a steady supply of cash.

The agency just settled on an outline of its plan, announcing nearly $1 billion in contracts to three U.S. companies – SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Dynetics — to build the lunar lander, which would bring astronauts to the moon

Overall, the agency says it will need $35 billion over the next four years. NASA leaders are requesting $25.2 billion in the upcoming fiscal year. However, it is unknown if Congress will approve that level of spending in the wake of the coronavirus.

“Anything is possible. I think we all understand that the trillions now of dollars that we have dedicated in Congress to the pandemic, that’s the most important thing we must do,” said Rep. Charlie Crist (D) Florida 13th District, who is a member of the House appropriations committee.

Staff for key committees said drafting these spending bills will come after the coronavirus response.

“After important coronavirus legislation is enacted, the committee will begin marking up fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills. Important decisions about funding for all federal programs, including NASA, will be made during that regular appropriations process,” Evan Hollander, the communications director for House Democrats, the majority party on the Appropriations committee.

Congress has until the end of September to hash out the funding. If not, there could be major implications for the moon landing timeline.

“Otherwise we have what we call a continuing resolution, which means we can keep the lights on, but there’s no new programs authorized, and if we go to that point, that’s when we will start seeing delays,” Waltz explained in an interview with Spectrum News.

The CARES Act provided $60 million to give NASA additional resources during the pandemic. A special provision tucked into the legislation also provides payroll relief for impacted government contractors.

“The contractors do the work and NASA kind of manages it. It’s like you’re getting the roof redone on your house, you have the supervisors show up, but if the guys who get on the roof aren’t there, you’re not going to get your roof replaced,” said Rep. Bill Posey (R) Florida 8th District, who lobbied to get that piece into the final legislation.

Former NASA Administrator Charles Bolden says getting the funding in a timely fashion could make a major impact on the agency.

“You don’t get funding, you don’t move forward. Tomorrow we are going to launch a commercial crew because we were unable to get funding as President Obama requested out of Congress until 2015, and that was the year we wanted to fly,” Bolden said in response to a question from Spectrum News on a call set up by Joe Biden’s presidential campaign.

“Continued Congressional support is vital. Again, having the support of the administration, the president and vice president; you can’t beat it. I am hopeful that this administration and the next will continue to work with Congress to get the funding that is needed to continue the Artemis program and send us back to the moon and then on to Mars,” he said.

The Florida delegation remains optimistic a virus on earth won’t keep NASA from reaching milestones in space.

“What’s helping us out right now is this launch we have coming up. All eyes are on that launch. It gives me chills just thinking about it. It’s a big deal,” Rep. Posey said.