I bought Rocket dreams from Benjamin (will read it when I'll have the time).

Well, yes, our dreams of space cities, a space faring civilization, have been shrinking since before Apollo 11 and haven't stopped being downsized since.

Even Enterprise's ratings have gone down.

Going to space is much more challenging than we thought.
And during the 60's it was ok to go to the Moon because it had never been done before.
But once it's been done, motives to go back there (or even to go to other worlds) have changed and because of that, they have so far killed any dream to go back there.
Unfortunately, the only other place besides the Moon, for humans to visit, is Mars. This doesn't let us lots of choices of places to go to.
Asteroids are as airless as the Moon and we've been on the Moon.

And how about space? Well, there's Low Earth Orbit and so many think it's boring to turn around and around without going any further.

There used to be a romantic aspect in the conquest of space.
This meant there was no special interest in going there other than to satisfy our curiosity.
Now, it must be cost-effective, it must make money.

But it doesn't.

That's perhaps why China is getting ready while others retreat.
China feels the prestige behind this adventure. Will it last long enough for them to be the first to return back to the Moon?
Time will tell.

Raoul