[Wuli]

Personally I think an orbiting station around the moon just uses funds and time that should go to a moon station on the surface of the moon. Why? Working out the necessities of a moon station on the moon will be a first step and a lessons-learned process for other off-planet stations on other planets and/or their moons. I think it would a folly of our space exploration processes to NOT do a surface station on the moon before planning a surface station somewhere else in the solar system.

[cgbg]

lessons learned

NASA is the agency where lessons get forgotten.

Last man on the moon was almost fifty years ago--and they still haven't been able to replicate it since...

I call it "the dog ate my homework" agency. They are experts at making excuses and finding someone else to blame.