[drzaiusapelord]

I love the disconnect between science fiction and reality. There's no beautiful Kubrick-esque set design here. The whole thing just looks like someone's garage, full of nick-nacks, tools, and little projects. It just a giant mancave, really. This is why I'm a little bored with LEO space exploration. I can't wait for the SLS to go live and try something that isn't this.

That said, I would love to see a ISS-like structure on the moon, perhaps also serving as a dark-side radio telescope.

[arrrg]

The mundanity is what makes it real and also very cool to me. I don’t think manned space exploration will look any different in the future … until maybe it starts looking mundane in other ways (think mundanity of commercial air travel). Even if we do go to Mars or other places. LEO has little to do with that … and SLS will look just the same on the inside.

[drzaiusapelord]

Good point. I guess what I was trying to express that just floating in LEO is fairly boring. My example of a moon base would be much more thrilling, especially if it could serve as a dark-side radio telescope or even as a space-port for deep launches.

A lot of little experiments an LEO ferrying back and forth is something we've been able to do since at least the 60's. I would love to see some next-gen stuff and with the SLS I will. I think NASA is very committed to a manned asteroid mission and a return to the moon.

[Ono-Sendai]

There's also more realistic / near-future sci-fi, see for example Neal Stephenson's excellent 'Seven Eves', which I recommend for anyone interested in spaceflight.