[onethought]

A launch and return to the same rotating body is surely a simpler maneuver than orbital transfer to a different spinning body and landing. No doubt we are better at it but I’m not sure earth landings are an accurate analog.

[stevage]

Nah, you can't really compare them like that. And landing on a planet with an atmosphere is completely different from a moon without one.

Landing on the moon is easier. It just looks hard because it's so expensive to get there that you don't get many attempts.

[bluGill]

That depends on how much atmosphere. Mars has enough atmosphere to be annoying, but not really enough to be useful. Winds can throw you off target, but you can't use a parachute for a soft landing.

[stevage]

That's not true. Many (most?) Mars missions with Landers have used parachutes, though they are not sufficient for a true soft landing.

I'm not an expert but I think landing on Mars with no atmosphere would be harder, because you'd need so much more fuel for a controlled descent.