The space shuttle is engineered to go to orbit. It is designed to be a truck. The original appolo program had several flaws. # 
 #After the mission space craft is completely destroyed. Hence not cost effective. 
 #A Ti-83 has a better processing power than a modern space shuttle. Landing a space shuttle or controling it does not require serious computing. 
 #Nasa plans on a permanant shuttle service to the moon. Apollo was short family trips 
 #Nasa also wants to establish a moon base. Technology is necesary for astronauts to survive longer space trips without hurting themselves due to long term radiation and weighthlessness. 
 #Nasa was not serious about such a thing untill recently as there was a lot of research to do here at orbit. 
 #Moon isn't that interesting. Aside from helium-3 there is nothing there that isn't here.