Doug... wrote:
Well, lessee -- some of the factors that will define the mission have
already been discussed.

Things like using lunar resources and building a permanently
manned lunar base have been talked about, I know.

'Discussed' != 'Defined'. Without definition, the best that mode
discussion can do is provide background information to feed back into
the mission definition process.

Like I say, I know we have at least *some* of the info we need to start
wrangling this decision.

Yes, and it can be stated in six words. "let's go back to the moon".
Not even remotely enough information to make a mode decision with any
certainty.

we're talking about a 10-year program, right? That's not that much longer
than Apollo had.

Apollo had a mission and a goal, the current incarnation doesn't
really. Also, the current incarnation has ten years to the first
flight, not ten years to end of program, a considerable difference.

D.
--
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