[paraclete]

Here's the reality . NASA managed the project ;the hired contractors like Grumman Aerospace to do the innovation and because these private firms were permitted to unleash the creative energy of their employees expertise the mission succeeded .The Ruskies with their more central controlled system quickly fell behind after they got off to a quick head start.

So to answer your comment ;yes, American private industry was very innovative .

I'm not quite sure what mission you think was accomplished here, to go to the moon, or to beat the USSR at something. Yes, the US did pull ahead in the space race but where are they now, down to relying on the Russians less than superior technology once Shuttle shuts down. Not sure what that does for the ego trip, but it certainly doesn't see much of a space program. The US was always going to win because the USSR lacked the resources to sustain both the space and the military race. Now that Russia is oil rich they might be able to think about it again but there is no US to compete with on that ground. What you might have proven here is that there was a generation that was innovative, lean, mean and bent on getting the job done, but where are they now, down to star gazing through telescopes. Reality is a terrible thing, isn't it?

[tomder55]

Not at all. As I have said before ,I don't think manned flights essential at this point. The best work being done in space exploration is in robotic . The Ruskies manage to keep men in orbit for extended periods . WE have sent robots to the edge of the solar system and those telescopes you mock find planets in distant galaxies . We have had an extended presence on Mars . The Rovers have performed well past their expiration date collecting data that even if humans were there could not have achieved .

[paraclete]

not at all. As I have said before ,I don't think manned flights essential at this point. The best work being done in space exploration is in robotic . The Ruskies manage to keep men in orbit for extended periods . WE have sent robots to the edge of the solar system and those telescopes you mock find planets in distant galaxies . We have had an extended presence on Mars . The Rovers have performed well past their expiration date collecting data that even if humans were there could not have acheived .

Ah yes the robots, token presence. It isn't about saving money Tom it is about man going where no man has gone before. If man is ever, and that is a very big ever, going to inhabit another world it is necessary to leave Earth and experience the problems. Instruments do something but they are no substitute for man, otherwise let us create a race of robots and leave exploration up to them