re: Manned space exploration
Yes, I indeed forgot about the risky landings and liftoffs from other worlds, and the complexity of the flight keeps therefore increasing.
Until Apollo 15 (not included), once the SM had succeeded its Trans-Earth injection, the whole spirit of the flight was: they're on their way back home and they have nothing much to do (even Mitchell says so) but rest, catch up some sleep, answer to journalists, shave and wait for the critical re-entry phase. The J flights had another spacewalk! But generally, the return flight was under a completely different mood from the trip towards the Moon.
Raoul