Space Travel, Moon Base Emerge As Wedge In Florida Primary Race | Fox News

While Gingrich is floating space-travel plans at a staggering rate -- even for a candidate who's been teased for his frequently "grandiose" proposals --

Gingrich unleashed a barrage of space thoughts. He called for a permanent moon base by the end of his second term. He revived an old idea of his to let Americans colonize the moon and petition for statehood once 13,000 of them are in place. He said he wants to approve a "Northwest Ordinance for space," which like the original would presumably facilitate the statehood process. 

 Romney is proudly tamping down the dream.

After ridiculing Gingrich on Thursday for pushing expensive and allegedly outlandish proposals, the former Massachusetts governor on Friday suggested Gingrich was pandering. And, Romney conceded, he does not really have a space plan. Not yet, anyway. Rather, Romney committed to carefully creating one once he's president. 

The candidate said he is not going to tell Florida "what the mission will be," but "how I'm going to get there." He said he'd bring in experts from across the military, NASA, and leading institutions and businesses, and then create a plan.