Stevenson has not heard of NASA’s plans to return to the moon, but he is glad to see that we are going back. “It is about time.” I asked him what NASA needs to do differently to get the word out. He says he heard everything was shutdown. (I think he is referring to the shuttle program which last launched in 2011.). He had heard about many NASA plans in the past that didn’t happen. And he expected us to be much further along.
This goes to what Jim Bridenstine says about Lucy and the football. Most people will not continue to go after a football that keeps being taken away. Making the 2024 moon landing date will invigorate interest in space much more than some distant Mars plan. The irony is that if we can focus on getting to the moon in a sustainable way, we will be able to get to the Mars quicker.