And where have we gone in 50-year period? Well, by 1969 an American was on the moon. And by 1972 our manned space exploration came to an end. So what have we been doing the past 40 years? Sadly, other than floating around the earth, we have gone nowhere else or really set our mind on a particular location. Even the moon seems too far for NASA's current budget.
I know, we are thinking about Mars or an asteroid or something similar, and the United States has an amazing array of robotic craft throughout the solar system and even leaving the solar system. Yet why is it we needed the Cold War's life and death struggle here on earth for motivation? If the Chinese were threatening to put a death ray on the moon would that be enough to stimulate interest? Maybe. By the way, what are the Chinese planning to do after they land on the moon?