The last 200 years show that Great Explorations (like Lewis & Clark) and Macro-Engineering Projects (like the Panama Canal) are driven by long waves in the economy that result in unprecedented economic booms about twice per century.
See this POST

A consistent feature of these long waves is financial panics such as the Panic of 2008. They don’t last forever. The current Panic has parallels with the Panic of 1893; it lasted about 6 years but gave birth to the most spectacular Maslow Window — including the polar expeditions and the Panama Canal — of the last 200 years (until the 1960s Apollo Window). It is likely the economy will soon recover and resume the “greatest ever global economic boom” that was interrupted in mid-2007. Whether our economic recovery will take a few years or a decade will depend on what Obama’s new administration does.

I certainly feel there is evidence supporting … the fact that 1969 was such a pivotal moment in landing a man on the moon. But what has happened since? There should have been so much more going on since then, but space exploration has been basically “squashed.”

The whole point of this weblog is that the 1969 Moon landing was a “pivotal moment” in human history. What has happened since is a normal consequence of long waves in the economy and rapidly declining public support for Great Explorations and MEPs after major economic booms (like since the 1960s) that is characteristic of the last 200 years.

However, the 2015 Maslow Window is coming and the space and technology future of the next 15-20 years is so bright, you’re going to need shades!
Check this POST. All the best….Bruce

Angela