I’ve always seen Apollo as having been a wasteful showboat. IMO, we’d have accomplished far more for far less if we’d continued the rocket plane program. Dyna Soar was the logical next step.
Don't tell that to a planetologist.
You are too young to remember the Cold War atmosphere of the sixties aren't you. Either that or you're spinning yarn for some reason.
Project Orion was the next step, failing that NERVA, then Dynasoar. All canceled because there is no real vision, no real leadership, and no national goals. And now, no good education.