http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/aug/24/nasa-on-the-block/

He’s unfair when he says humans are stuck in LEO instead of going to Mars….

When the shuttle was planned, it was agreed  LEO would be the place to go to take advantage of  OG, vacuum, high altitude, Earth and heavens observations, satellite maintenance, fuel station ….Heinlein said LEO is halfway to everywhere.  And the constantly changing view! And the stars in the dark side!

While going to Mars will mean 6 months of complete darkness…and turning around the Sun.

It’s about the human experience!  There is a space station that can be reached from 4 different places  on Earth, involving many nations and it’s a destination and a challenge to picture! We are in a quite different situation from 30 years ago.

We haven’t been in Polar Orbit nor GEO (there are reasons for this )  and we should already want to go to Mars?

Hmmm