I have long advocated that we attempt dozens of "Deep Impact" style missions against the NEOs - short mission lifetime, perhaps months from launch to impact + a

I have long advocated that we attempt dozens of "Deep Impact" style missions against the NEOs - short mission lifetime, perhaps months from launch to impact + a high launch rate - would bring the cycle time from innovation to exploration way, way down. The "Pluto Express" abuse of the word "express" rankled. Not having to fund a team for decades per single mission would be a savings also. If we shift our foci to closer targets, outside LEO, by delta-v and flight time, we will evolve our spaceflight technologies much faster. The moon is a lousy target, because landing on it, and returning from it is so hard, and Mars is too far.