Go For The Moon

Thirty-eight years ago today, Apollo 11 lifted off for the Moon.  That was the first time humans voyaged to another celestial body.  It took the crew three days to get up to Lunar orbit, and the two-man lander touched down a day later.

Thirty-four and a half years ago, Apollo 17 left the Moon.  That was the last time humans voyaged to another celestial body.

In those three decades, the massive ongoing expense of the Cold War ended, and the global economy has roughly tripled in size.  Population has increased by about 50%, so on a per-capita basis we're twice as rich.  The United States in particular is ten times richer than when humans last visited the Moon.

So we could afford to go back.  We've just decided it's not worth it. 

Before Copernicus, people believed the Earth was the center of the Universe.  Evidently we haven't really learned better.