Mind Set Central

Space.com is reporting that President Obama is abandoning NASA’s plan to revisit the Moon.  The directive that was put forward by President Bush in 2004, and put man back on the moon has been been placed on hold, in favor of focusing on the International Space Station.

Now:

CAPE CANAVERAL — President Barack Obama will ask Congress to extend International Space Station operations through at least 2020 but abandon NASA’s current plans to return U.S. astronauts to the moon, administration and NASA officials said Wednesday.

NASA since 2004 has invested $9 billion in developing the Constellation program’s Ares I and Ares V rockets and the Apollo-style Orion crew capsule for missions to the moon, Mars and, in the event no commercial means becomes available, the International Space Station.

This all seems a little weird to me considering the apparent world space race that is in full swing.  Hell, even Richard Branson is getting into orbit!  9 billion already spent on the missions, only to be scrapped?  And why the focus on the Space Station?  Interestingly enough, has anyone given any thought as to what they are doing on up there?

Far too many questions, but one think as always stuck with me.  Why did we stop going to the moon in the mid 1970’s?  Its as if the Moon is currently off limits, and if so why?

Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, who rarely gives interviews and stays firmly out of the public eye, let slip these gems upon returning from the Moon:

Professor: What REALLY happened out there with Apollo 11?

Armstrong: It was incredible, of course we had always known there was a possibility, the fact is, we were warned off! (by the aliens) There was never any question then of a space station or a moon city.

Armstrong: I can’t go into details, except to say that their ships were far superior
to ours both in size and technology – Boy, were they big!…and menacing! No, there is no question of a space station.

Professor: How do you mean “warned off”?

Curiouser and curiouser…