Because the goal as of now is not to get to the moon. It's a government jobs program. Nothing wrong with that IMO, but in the 1960s the goal was to get to the moon before the Soviets + pour money into ICBM-adjacent tech.
Now the motives are dubious. Gateway to Mars? Cold War 2 with China? I don't think anyone even knows what the goal is other than "spend money".
Now the motives are dubious. Gateway to Mars? Cold War 2 with China? I don't think anyone even knows what the goal is other than "spend money".