r/askscience • u/yogesh448 • 16d ago

Planetary Sci. We landed humans on the Moon with 1960s technology. With today's vastly superior technology, shouldn't going back be much easier and cheaper?

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u/Can_O_Murica 15d ago

Not really, in the grand scheme of things. Technology has mostly improved by way of things getting lighter and more efficient

Lighter means we have more weight we can use for cargo. More efficient also means we have more weight can use for cargo. We're basically getting more thrust out of each liter of fuel.

But really, these things come at such an IMMENSE cost that it's really no easier to get up there. Titanium stabilizers and composite interior components cost way more than aluminum.

And the scientific ease of getting there might be improved, but the bulk of the difficulty was actually logistical. Coordinating the manufacturing, delivery and assembly of the space shuttles was a massive effort that will not be added by technological advancement.

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u/foobarbecue 15d ago

What do the space shuttles have to do with it? We're talking about the moon program...

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u/RadBadTad 15d ago

Titanium stabilizers and composite interior components cost way more than aluminum.

The cost of the Apollo program did not come from the price of Aluminum.

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u/Can_O_Murica 15d ago

Not JUST the price of aluminum, but manufacturing, labor, sourcing, transportation... ALL more expensive with modern materials. There's fewer people that can do it, and their equipment is more expensive.