We have billions of dollars. USA already is experts at making complex, reliable and complicated hardware with complex manufacturing processes.
Why can't we just craft that hardware we need in bulk? We have billions of dollars in funding. Make a factory production out of it.
Why don't we send 300 mars rovers? We can make 5000 tanks. We can build 5000 fighter jets. Why do we just build one rover?
My impression with astronomy is it has nowhere near the fervor or seriousness that defense has. Why are we not dumping supply ships in the moon in anticipation of colonization?
I wrote a very detailed reply for this with lots of sources, but deleted it because it would only invite more questions that you can find out the answers to yourself. Really what you are asking requires several books worth of information to fully explain.
Basically just read everything on Wikipedia about DARPA, NASA, CIA satellites, the NRO, the Apollo missions, Sputnik, Voyager 1 / 2, the Curiosity rovers, KH-9, KH-11, Hubble, etc. then come back and criticize NASA if you still think that they are not doing their job properly.
You have the answers to all of these questions and more at your fingertips via Google.
NASA has another Curiosity rover, but the cost/benefit of sending it to Mars isn't worth it in their expert opinions.
Why can't we just craft that hardware we need in bulk? We have billions of dollars in funding. Make a factory production out of it.
Why don't we send 300 mars rovers? We can make 5000 tanks. We can build 5000 fighter jets. Why do we just build one rover?
My impression with astronomy is it has nowhere near the fervor or seriousness that defense has. Why are we not dumping supply ships in the moon in anticipation of colonization?