Good point on the mismatched comparison. My assumption is the hardest part is an orbital altitude, not the completion of orbit. The completion of an orbit just

Good point on the mismatched comparison. My assumption is the hardest part is an orbital altitude, not the completion of orbit. The completion of an orbit just seems to be an unnecessary safety and control risk. If you can't land it, it makes sense to sandwich the 'orbital altitude' and 'smile and wave around the moon' mission into one. For SpaceX, focusing on the altitude seems to make the most sense. Especially considering that refilling may even be a higher priority than a moon pass. NASA appears focused on inspirational discovery/science, while SpaceX is focused on making life multiplanetary. These are closely related, but fundamentally different missions.