Ok, I thank politics for our space program, that space race we had with the Russians and damn it because of politics, that was it's downfall. Thank you LBJ for keeping the dream alive for just so long when it came to space (and for thousands of Cuban refugees). The love-in of society and love of nothing else didn't help either.

I'm sorry, but that's pretty lame: "I suspect there might have been a more serious challenge to Apollo had Kennedy lived. The association of attacking Apollo with attacking a slain president's memory made it harder to take on." No one knows what the outcome would have been had JFK lived.

Yes, NASA could have saved Apollo 18, and that's what I mean by it all being political. It takes politicians and laws in order to make things happen. It did in the '60s. That's why it went on the wayside. More pressing matters to the public, in their eyes was presedent and I don't doubt that NASA would have gone ahead with a shuttle vision after Apollo or even during.

I disagree with you about the moon/science interest with astronomers and scientists. It was always there and it still remained long after they put Apollo to rest. Believe it or not, that goes for everyday Joe that may have afforded to pursue such an endevour.

"Given how little extra money 18 would have needed a lobbying push by the scientific establishment would have helped, but they (on average, not all) focussed on pushing unmanned probes and generally grumbling about astronauts."

Dificult to understand among space enthusiasts, but especially during Carter's administration, there was very little money to go around, especially for NASA. So, they opted for a cheaper way. Again, thank goodness for JPL.

You know, after it all, under all the circumstances... I think that NASA, JPL and the space community did pretty well.