[Donald Meaker]

I wonder where he gets a trillion dollars.

How much it costs depends on how you go. You can't get any cost data without deciding how you want to go first.

For what it is worth, low earth orbit is closer to the moon in terms of launch energy than the earth's surface. It would make sense for much of any future space station to be made from the moon rock (the massy part that would be used to block radiation at least).

Helium 3 is available on the moon. That would provide an option for a fuel source. Moon rocks could be stacked around the crew module to block radiation. The Martian Atmosphere can be converted to chemical fuel- (methane-oxygen).

All those well known notions lower necessary payload, and make the cost drop.

If you don't do that, and go dumb, then you spend more money.

[KevinDavis]

We have spent more than a trillion dollars on social welfare alone.. Yet a minor increase in NASA all hell breaks lose.

[B4Ranch]

<< “Vision for Space Exploration,” aimed at returning humans to the moon by 2020 and eventually sending them to Mars.<<

Making plans that are three terms down the road for the moon

Just who is President Bush returning 'favors' to? Are these explorers going to be carrying the Mexican flag to the moon?