The order numbers for the Raptor have been going down steadily for the last 15 years. The Pentagon itself under Bush reduced their purchase request due to the extreme cost per copy. Pressure on Congress to reduce the numbers has been going long before Obama was even in politics....$340 Million a copy.

Raptor Wiki:
The United States Air Force originally planned to order 750 Raptors, with production beginning in 1994; however, the 1990 Major Aircraft Review altered the plan to 648 aircraft beginning in 1996. The goal changed again in 1994, when it became 442 aircraft entering service in 2003 or 2004, but a 1997 DD report put the purchase at 339. In 2003, the Air Force said that the existing congressional cost cap limited the purchase to 277. By 2006, the Pentagon said it will buy only 183 aircraft, which would save $15 billion but raise the cost of each aircraft. The total cost of the program by 2006 was $62 billion.

In April 2006, the cost of the F-22 was assessed by the GAO to be $361 million per aircraft. By the time all 183 fighters have been purchased, $34 billion will have been spent on actual procurement, resulting in a total program cost of $62 billion or about $339 million per aircraft.

Back to the moon in 2020......

 

While mining the moon may result in some interesting finds (I don't think so), even if they were mining gold it wouldn't pay for the costs of getting equipment up there and getting the gold back down to earth. I say let the Russians have at it.

 

Dawg, If you've got some time, read down a bit in that space link.....I guess they found some super rare mineral / element.....can't remember what it is. I guess they feel it's worth it. Must be some crazy stuff to mine the moon for

 

There is supposed to be a magneto-plasma engine ready for testing around 2011. So, by the time 2020 rolls around, who knows what the real cost will be and how efficient we can get it done. By 2020, we may be rolling in cash like the late 90's for all we know now. There are just too many variables to say for sure. Many folks are just wondering how to pay the bills next month.... Nevermind contemplating a journey to the moon 11 yrs from now.

Should we eventually go back to the moon? Sure.

Should we spend way too much to get there for no particular reason at a time when we could use the money for more "down to earth" things? No.

 

I think this is what Russia, India and China are after:

Scientists estimate that there are about one million tons of Helium 3 on the Moon; 25 tons could supply the energy needs of the US for a year. Sevastyanov's statement that they could begin mining by 2020 would be just about right; we should be getting to the end of our petroleum deposits right about then. Petroleum and natural gas plants currently produce about one-fifth of the electric power in the US. Zero carbon emmission.

 

I don't know... Some guy on the discovery channel was saying he was hoping to have the new engine ready for testing by 2011. I think he's in the US.

Mining stuff on the moon to carry to earth? I HIGHLY doubt that.

Running out of petroleum by 2020? I highly doubt that too.

By 2020 most of our power will come from solar and wind. We'll never exhaust our oil supplies.

 

The moon will make a great landfill.

 

I say we build a border fence out in space between the earth and the moon.

When it's finished, you can bet they'll have mescan astronauts already there ready to work.