Why haven't we been back to the moon in over 38 years

If we did it 38 years ago, shouldn't it be like crossing the street today?

I to have often thought of that exact question.
did they really land on the moon?

Perhaps. But it would've been notably harder to fake it in a manner consistent with the available facts than to actually go there.

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Lack of interest and political will, leading to a decommissioning of the Saturn V launch systems, leading to a loss of the capability as contractors retooled to provide other components. With the shuttles, NASA was limited in manned flights to LEO. Now, decades later, when there is finally serious interest in space exploration re-emerging, NASA is in the position of having to develop the capability again from the ground up.

Sadly, nothing to do with spaceflight is EVER like crossing the street.

And yes, positioning a telescope would certainly be a useful step in any renewed manned lunar exploration program.

For very approximately the same reason that we are no longer going to have shuttle missions (after the next one) - - there isn't a political will to spend on these missions, there is a public perception that it is expensive, and politicians typically cannot ''sell'' the benefits of scientific missions to the point of their constiuents accepting the expenditures (the expenses) needed.

So.. when you start hearing (about 10 years from now) kids half your age asking if we ever really sent shuttles into space - because there is a looney-tune website claiming that the entire American space program was faked... what are *you* going to tell them?

If you wanted a ticket to ride (sorry about the song reference) who would pay for it. Our politicians don't want to pay for it since it doesn't get as many votes as so-called poverty programs and the like.

Dear Vince
It all comes down to ONE fore-letter-word... "$$$$".
The US Congress hasn’t felt the need to put up the cash. IF you Feel/Believe/Understand that that is wrong?… VOTE.
ESP

Even the chicken knows it needs a reason to cross the road. For us there just isn't any real reason to go to the moon anymore.

Its not very interesting.

Politics.

No, it would be many times more expensive, tens of billions of dollars, and there is no compelling reason to go at this point.

zxc090

we are trying to get to Mars