The space programme of the 60s captured my imagination. It was fantastic, risky as hell (people don't realise how risky), and at the limits of what engineering could achieve.

This strikes me as a tribute band.

We aren't going where no man has gone before, but a repeat with more sophisticated gear.

That said, on the surface, this should be easier and I have this gut feeling the community will be a bit cavalier about it because we have all this knowledge we didn't have in the '60s. That environment is merciless to the cavalier and that gut feeling tells me they are going to be taught that lesson again on no uncertain terms.

There are too many industrialists and manager trogs involved in this, and too many unstable politicians will think they have command over it. Too much emphasis on inclusiveness in crew selection with not a lot said about qualification. That environment doesn't care a fig about what colour or orientation the blood-sacks are. They better know their shit. This whole thing smacks of being more for display than science.

Someone is going to die before this accomplishes only what has already been done fifty years ago, and I feel we'll have to relearn the deep respect for that environment in the process, and learn it the hard way. Folks are just a bit too smug about it.

Having been mixed up a little in this sort of thing in my career, I don't have a good feeling about it at all.