We have not gone beyond that and we were last on the Moon in 1972.
Why are we not on Mars yet? Granted, there are some biological issues like keeping the crew alive on a 400 some odd day voyage there not to mention keeping them alive on the 400 some odd voyage back, but it does not appear that anyone has been working on this since at least the Ford Administration.
In 1961, then President Kennedy challenged Americans to walk on the Moon by the end of the decade. We did it! Several times.
President Bush a decade ago, told NASA that the new mission was to get back to the Moon by 2020 and actively prepare for Mars.
Since then, our shuttle fleet has been retired and we depend on Russia to get our astronauts to space. President Obama then made some bizarre decree that NASA's mission was "Moslem outreach". Something weird went on,but considering our dysfunctional political system, it does not come surprise anyone that much. Of course, no one has heard anything about Mars since.
There are budget problems and huge problems here on Earth.No one denies this,but it has always been that way. The Apollo Program's success occurred during the Vietnam War!
Exploration is in our blood. We always want to see what is beyond the next hill or what is on the the over side of the river. It is who we are and how we have always been. To become a myopic homebound species is beneath us.
If neccessary, start with going back to the Moon, then go to Mars.
We should endeavor to streak between the stars even if DC wants to crawl through the sewer.
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