Mars isn't the "broke"...Beyond would be that.

There are several articles titled pretty much just that. Some coming from, strangely enough, Dr. Robert Zubrin and other experts. But Bush sold us Moon, Mars & Beyond not Mars & Beyond or Mars...with gas stations on the Moon whether that actually makes sense (without vast amounts of infrastructure $$$) or not.

Those who are trying to focus on the Moon who have some influence on the Hill have econo-Moon plans Ed and they may be right or wrong... BUT, they are being listened to not you or I. CAPS has no traction in the senate. In case you never noticed the House often champions nutty ideas and has a reputation of being the off the wall part of congress. Reps have such short lives (2 years) they seem to feel they can be nutty! I could provide us will some very amusing bills they have put forward but won't (it would be off topic and take to much time). If you want asteroid detention taken seriously you need to find someone with deep pockets and start an ad campaign over it.

I would prefer as a test of the CEV?VSE system an Asteroid landing. There are several candidates which have a delta Vee smaller than that for a return to the Moon. I don't see some reenactment of Apollo 8 thru 11 as particularly useful at least in the PR sense.