Russia to build a mine on the moon

[Agafaster]

dont forget that it was NASA that put the ISS up - using the Space Shuttle.

In general, they like to over think their plans, and try for the Rolls-Royce solution...

cf: manned mars exploration by NASA, and Rick Zubrin's Mars Direct plan:
compare 400 Billion USD to 35 Billion USD...

oh - the ISS is about 500km above the Earth, and in an orbit inclined about 50 degrees to the equatorial plane.

-edited to correct the finances ... still not sure of the costs estimated by NASA in Bush Snr's presidency, but it was sufficiently large for congress to balk !!

[Agafaster]

An enormous amount of money was expended in the moon missions. Apollo 1 cost the lives of three astronauts (Ed White, Roger Chaffee and Gus Grissom) on the launch pad due to faulty wiring and poor escape hatch design.

not to mention a {bleep}pit atmosphere of almost pure Oxygen. hence the {bleep}pit fire.

-edit-
oh for F*ck's sake people ! whent did C.o.c.k.p.i.t. (the place where pilots and astronauts sit) become rude ?! get a grip !!