[Names Ash Housewares]

It is not been there done that. 4 astronauts will land together, they will stay for a week. They will be able to land on the far side and the polls, they will learn how to "live off the land". Extracting water and oxygen. Learning how to do these things paves the way for Mars. Exploration is essential to our nature. Without it, none of us would be here. Too much money?..........see where our money goes........

[Names Ash Housewares]

polls=poles

[Airborne1986]

"They will be able to land on the far side and the polls, they will learn how to "live off the land". Extracting water and oxygen. Learning how to do these things paves the way for Mars."

I don't think we should be spending money now going to the Moon so that we can spend even more later to go to Mars. But setting that aside for a moment, do we have to go to the Moon to develop these techniques? Can't we replicate the environmental conditions and do the R&D and testing here more cheaply and safely?