> We haven't been back to the Moon ...because until basically now, the tech for doing so was an immensely expensive, one shot, disposable rocket, which could o

> We haven't been back to the Moon ...because until basically now, the tech for doing so was an immensely expensive, one shot, disposable rocket, which could only carry a return vehicle, one lander and a small crew. As a result, the only use for moon missions was (1) to do trivial kinds of science such as could be done with the very limited kinds of instruments that could be carried, and (2) for national bragging rights. With the science done, with the missions becoming routine and boring, the only entity that could afford to go stopped spending its money. This is all right on the cusp of changing.