>>12955474>We have the technologyYes and no.
We can launch stuff to the moon, but we don't have any active landers that can touch down. The landers in the past were designed before CAD systems were widespread and we have lost a lot of instructions.
>public support is highIts actually the opposite. Most people "don't care" followed by "we should spend money on problems on earth". Here on /sci/ and /sfg/ there is near 100% support.
>If we need to colonise mars wouldn't it be cheaper to set up a base on the moon first and make it self reliable enough to build rockets there?It would be more expensive to build rockets there. The cheapest way is to build them here, launch into space, refuel from some system outside of earth, then head to mars.
NASA is nearly ready to select one (maybe 2) of three lunar lander prototypes that have been presented to them.
But at the end of the day, its about cost and the will to do it.
NASA only gets what the government offers, and if there isn't a political gain to set up a moon base, it won't happen. That is one reason why so many are rooting for Elon Musk to charge ahead with Starship. Hes funding it himself and has a desire to reach mars. Politics and opinions don't matter.
