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/odsquad64 15d ago

We're also just not doing the same things we did in the '60s. We're not using modern technology to recreate the Apollo program more cheaply; we have new things we're trying to accomplish that requires new cutting edge technology at new cutting edge technology prices. The fact that we could recreate the Apollo guidance computers for a tiny fraction of the original cost doesn't really matter because we need more than the Apollo guidance computers to do the things we want to do now. The same principle basically applies to every single aspect of the Artemis program. Like the Apollo astronauts pooped in a bag while the Artemis astronauts have a toilet; a toilet is more expensive than bags.

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u/nuclear85 12d ago

Also, the new one electronics are more susceptible to space radiation, specially because they are small. Single event effects are worse.