Step Right Up! No Waiting!

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Originally Posted by Tombie

They also had failures back then. [emoji2957]

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Lots!

and Lots.

The cadence of "builds" during Apollo was astounding, and they built the only 100% reliable rocket engine.


During Apollo even with "the best will in the world" mistakes were still made that cost lives.
but those errors totally changed the way NASA made and built stuff.

Then during the Shuttle Program more deaths caused another total rethink,

No deaths in Space since 2003
but its been easy "Space"


The cynic in me thinks in 2021 a vast majority of Yank pollies are quite happy to fund private enterprise to do all the hard yards to get to Mars,, but you can bet the first Earthian ( Earthite? ) on Mars will have a NASA logo on the suit..

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Originally Posted by Homestar

My question was more around why the tech hasn't been advanced more by now since it's been nearly 30 years since the first successful vertical rocket landings.

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Because of various forms of atrophy, Gav. Certain administrations didn't like the bills and saw no advantage, no cachet. Others got involved in wars, right or wrong, that soaked up trillions, then another that echoed the 'don't like the bills' theme. One recent one has been all for it, and loved that private enterprise was prepared to have a go, with help from NASA. That administration removed enormous amounts of red tape so that Space-X, along with the non bureaucrat side of NASA, could get back on with doing what NASA used to be for. Musk couldn't do it without them. Not even Apple could do it without them.
Watch this space. There is now a new administration, and I'll bet there will be issues again, new red tape.. But now Musk has enough clout to take this tech to Russia, or France. He won't go to China, but maybe even his native South Africa. Heck, SA is almost geographically ideal. Not saying he will, but he's already shown that he'll go where he is welcome, by shifting Tesla from California to Texas.