Anyone read
Universe Today? Take a look at the weekly Carnival of Space? The Carnival is a weekly blog posting, hosted by a different space-related site each week, that gathers a list of links to other articles on space blogs. Its a good way to find other blogs, if you're into that kind of thing. (...and you're thinking 'What's this got to do with going to Mars?' I'm getting there, be patient...)
I don't look a the Carnival every week but a few weeks ago I did, as I was looking for some distraction on the day, and it was hosted that week by a blog called
21st Century Waves. It's not the most well laid blog, I must say, but it very interesting reading, and it may have the answer as to why we haven't gone back to the moon or made it to Mars - yet! I've linked to a recent post that explains what Maslow Windows are and I recommend starting on the Daily Wavelets page to get you going, but there is heaps to explore there.
They're pretty confident we will get to Mars, its just the timing hasn't been right, and wont be right for a few more years yet. The 2020 target set for the moon return is smack in the middle of the upcoming Maslow Window, and I noticed all three of the Apollo 11 astronauts have been saying things along the lines of "don't bother with the moon, we've been there done that, head to Mars!", particularly Buzz Aldrin, he's been very vocal about it lately. The next Maslow Window is only 6 years away, now that's not so far away, is it?