[GeronL]

Let us send unmanned missions first to deliver habitats and equipment for a small outpost for a longer mission.

[Young Werther]

Extend the life of the shuttles. Modify the External Tank so that they can be the backbone of the lunar colony. The cost to fly the ETs into orbit is miniscule!

You can obtain private funding by giving industry a 110% tax deduction for every $1.00 spent on space related products.

Exxon pays for the ET and it's flown into orbit where it can be used as a tank farm for fuel flown into space. for the earth lunar highway. Fedex or UPS would fund the tug vehicle to drag material to and from the moon.

Earthly enterprise will take us to the Moon and Beyond. As the National Space Society would say,

"Ad Astra" y'all!