>>14360140There was a similar gap between expeditions to Antarctica, not a big deal.
Read this article:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jul/06/everyones-going-to-the-moon-again-apollo-11-50th-aniversaryWe've approached the moment when it's economically viable to explore the Moon and set up bases there, like in Antarctica. To make the first landing possible, almost 5% of the federal budget went to NASA, today it's just 0.5%. Moreover, in the 60s only the government was capable of sending people to space and nowadays, private companies can do it for much lower prices.
However, a funny twist of fate is that this time it's the government who's slowing down the space exploration. The government rocket, SLS, in spite of costing $4 billion, can't launch more than once a year. To make those Moon bases manned for 365 days in a year, they will have to either increase the production or ditch the rocket and look for alternatives. With costs already being awfully high, the former is less likely.
