Why are we going back to the moon and not directly to Mars?

The most common objection to NASA’s Artemis program to send astronauts back to the lunar surface for the first time in five decades is a variant of the phrase “been there, done that.” The notion was best expressed by President Barack Obama in 2010 when he addressed an audience at the Kennedy Space Center to justify his cancellation of President George W. Bush’s Constellation lunar return project and to announce a journey to Mars program.

“Now, I understand that some believe that we should attempt a return to the surface of the moon first, as previously planned. But I just have to say pretty bluntly here: We’ve been there before. … There’s a lot more of space to explore and a lot more to learn when we do.”