//develop a base on the moon and prepare for that being a jump-off point for missions to Mars//
If you are going to do that why not just pour all those resources into a direct trip to Mars and back?
If you are going to do that why not just pour all those resources into a direct trip to Mars and back?
There's more chance for success when you take intermediate steps and develop more robust technology from the experience gained. And we would be building an "infrastructure" for more jumping off points and for gaining that experience a whole lot quicker than figuring things out from a "base" on earth.
You're talking like it's just the point of "getting there" (to Mars) and that's all there is to it. It's not. It's about building experience and technology and infrastructure, where you keep on going from there.