1969 technology; can we retrieve it?

[FreeOfPge]

In 2004 George Bush said we would make it to the moon by 2020 but there has not been much progress. Is it possible to retrieve 1969 technology in order to achieve this goal?

 

[nwdiver]

Funny you should phrase it that way... we were planning to return in much the same way the Apollo program did it; I guess if it ain't broke don't fix it...

 

[dpeilow]

Except for the LEO rendezvous between the two vehicles which Werner von Braun's team evaluates and ruled out.

Anyway, that's Project Constellation which the Obama administration cancelled and repurposed.

 

[jerry33]

I believe the problem is that you don't want to replicate going to the moon by a couple of astronauts for a short time. What's needed is to set up a base there for scientific research, and that isn't possible with the weight limits of 1969 technology. SpaceX and reusable rockets are what will make it happen.

 

[FreeOfPge]

"Sixty years ago when the Russians beat us into space ... we built a space program almost overnight and 12 years later we were walking on the moon"

 

[SkipperSam]

"Sixty years ago when the Russians beat us into space ... we built a space program almost overnight and 12 years later we were walking on the moon"

Is this a bushism or the truth? could be both haha

 

[ecarfan]

What @FreeOfPge posted is basically what happened. Cold War competitive pressure resulted in the US spending a lot of money very fast resulting in the moon landing. Russia's moon rocket exploded on it's first attempt to launch and they gave up. And after a few years of lunar missions we got bored and stopped.
There is another thread about whether we should go back to the moon or not, so no need to start that discussion again here.