Would the space program been better served setting up the 'Murica-exclusive-space-station/low-Earth-orbit-launch-platform first, instead of straight to the moon first?

>>32586
>instead of straight to the moon first
>Murica-exclusive-space-station
I really doubt Murica is actually capable of to do both of these feats in less than 15-20 years. Anyway, there are two major problem NASA is facing - return to the Moon and a new LEO station, so they are aimed to solve the third, much more distant problem - Mars mission.

>I really doubt Murica is actually capable of to do both of these feats in less than 15-20 years.

Right, which is why I phrased the question the way I did. America could have done one of the two space programs; space station (as launch platform for long-distance missions like a moonshot and Mars-shot) or moonshot.

>>32586
That's kind of what USSR went for, if the two superpowers cooperated we could have been Space Odyssey by now

  To Mars by A Bomb

  Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie.

  Nissin Noodles - The Instant Meal with a Lasting Legacy https://youtu.be/fqseyLw2Flg
This episode describes the birth of instant noodles and the technology that turned this modest staple of the Japanese diet into a global phenomenon.

A struggling businessman, Momofuku Ando invented instant noodles 55 years ago. He developed a technique called "flash-frying", in which moisture is removed for better preservation, while locking in flavor. This way, the noodles can be reconstituted by simply pouring hot water over them.

Convenience and good taste assured instant noodles would please the palate of people the world over. Ando's altruistic nature, which inspired him to develop the product to alleviate poverty and suffering, also led him to release the patent. Manufacturers worldwide adopted the flash-frying technique, helping to make instant noodles the world's favorite comfort food.

There was a 205-page English-translated manga in 2006 (Heisei year 18 as the translators would have it) called Project X: Cup Noodle that documents the Cup Noodle development in comic book form. It is less a documentary and more an outright celebration. The men behind the Cup Noodle are presented as shining examples of the Japanese postwar work ethic and ethos, overcoming adversity through lots of hard work, teamwork, trial and error. http://www.amazon.com/Project-X-Nissin-Cup-Noodle/dp/1569709599

In a time when the Japanese food industry was struggling economically, a man named Momofuku Andou sought to turn the tide. Seeking a new type of food for a new era, he ordered the development of a “cup noodle” - a revolutionary idea for a convenient instant noodle. Overcoming public skepticism as well as doubts, even from those within their own company, Andou and his staff of young developers constantly challenged convention to create this new product. Behind the now familiar cup o’ noodle, which has sold over 8.2 billion worldwide, lies a dramatic story of the struggles of the men behind its success. http://www.dmpbooks.com/books/403/