I dunno, the moon has lost all appeal to me when it comes to space missions, manned or otherwise. After the wonders of 1969, when it was done with computing capacities that today would fit into an iPhone, it will never be the same awe-inspiring experience for us viewers back home. I can, to some degree, appreciate today's security priorities and all, but they inevitably lead to reservations and delays and cancellations until each and every nut and bolt is considered 110 percent perfect. And then, perhaps in 2030 or 2040, they will be ready to place a person on the surface – again. And that person will be there only to exploit the moon commercially, in the interest of greedy corporations.

No, the romantic in me want a Jules Verne style Mars landing in spite of everything. I want a mission not because it's easy, but because it's hard. A mission by steely-balled, unfazed, supercool daredevils who'll just shrug off anything space throws at them and who don't shed Hollywood tears when they talk to their five-year-olds for the last time via space-phone. A mission just because we can (as long as I don't have to volunteer).

I wouldn't say it is hopeless but it begs the question of why we have government in the first place and to me that is a very important question to ask because if you ask that one then maybe people will start to have rational discussions about what kinds of governments they want vs what kinds they don't want. I personally would like the see Trump out of power but everybody doesn't share that sentiment. They and many who do in fact want him gone don't care about reason. They want what they want and any red herring or straw man that will get them there is all that interests them. That could be why you'd like to leave nations behind but my money is on the need for government of some sort wherever you go. ( )