I have yet to understand what NASA is trying to accomplish by planning these ultra costly manned missions to the moon. What is the purpose of these missions other than to prove we can do it? It is the wrong approach for every possible goal I can come up with including ultimately establishing long term manned presence on the moon.

Teleoperation from earth of ROV's sent to the moon should be the mainstay of all significant goals of moon utilization. Dropped in manned presence should be an afterthought. Only after sufficient reconnaisance, and ROV infrastructure is built up should manned missions be considered. Name any goal, and I will challenge that adding people to the equation prematurely only delays the accomplishment and increases the costs.

We teleoperate vehicles to the deep oceans and even the great explorer deep sea explorer Ballard was converted when he realized looking out of a tiny window to the deep ocean was effectively no different from watching it on a tv screen. I am still waiting for some real reason for moon utilization. Currently we need knowledge about the moon before virtually any significant goal can be accomplished. Knowledge means reconnaisance. I don't know anyone that would argue that the reconnaisance mission could be more cost effectively done with manned vehicles versus unmanned rov's.

As a taxpayer, I really don't want to pay billions just so a few lucky folks can be tourists on the world's most expensive vacation.

How can people still allow NASA to further these kinds of plans after the complete failure to meet time/cost goals for the space shuttle and space station? Those objects have been white elephant boon doggles that have returned virtually no science knowledge, while unmanned probes costing 100's of times less have flooded us with new science knowledge about our solar system. Yet here we go, down the same path with the same people pushing a manned space program that is really just a jobs program for aerospace companies.

Pushing robotic technology to accomplish goals as ROV's would have tremendous side benefits for the economy as that technology is useful is so many practical applications on earth. Very little technology targeted to ensure safety of astronauts off planet has useful side benefits. So even the spin off arguments fail. When will we get somebody practical and pragmatic to set goals for our space program?

And anyone that uses the fear of the Chinese space program as a reason for us changing the order and method of our own space exploration, I laugh in their face. Good god the Chinese have a long ways to go, and lot of money to throw down the rabbit hole before they reach the same conclusions.