Alan has this to say in his article on the now trendy topic of propellant depots in sapce...

"Panel members laid out five scenarios for future trips beyond Earth orbit (which I previewed earlier this month):

1. Lunar base: Basically the current return-to-the-moon plan, which calls for setting up a permanent base.

2. Lunar global: No manned base, but a combination of quick visits to the moon ("sorties") plus robotic missions.

3. Moon to Mars: Lunar landings conducted primarily as rehearsals for Mars landings.

4. Mars first: Just focus on eventual Mars landings, don't return to the moon.

5. Flexible path: Start out by sending astronauts to platforms that are at stable points spread from Earth orbit to lunar orbit to Martian orbit (on Mars' moons, for example), plus near-Earth objects. Then send robots from those manned platforms to the surfaces of other worlds (down into the "gravity wells"). Don't send astronauts down onto the moon or Mars right off, but see how things go.

Sign me up for the flex path as I'd advocated here previously.