Re: yep, we're interested in the water UNDER the ice
"we handed over the job to stay-at-home, pro-robot time-wasters after Apollo."
Unfortunately, politics entered the mix, back in the 70's. I could enumerate the details, but it's all there if someone wants to look for it.
Apollo had at least 2 moon launches canceled, an Apollo/Soyuz mission and Skylab re-purposed the remaining hardware [except that which became museum pieces], and for some stupid reason, the USA seemed to lose their passion for manned space exploration. [I never did]
I blame the politicians and the driving forces behind them [which isn't "the people"].
It was kinda like being neutered, in a way...
Biting the hand that feeds IT
