Americans have not stepped foot on the moon in nearly 50 years but that’s going to change very soon. This week on Space Curious Astralytical founder Laura Forcyzk helps explain why the U.S. left the moon after the final Apollo mission and hasn't been back. Intuitive Machines co-founder Tim Crain also joins the show to talk about the company's robotic moon lander Nova-C launching to the moon with NASA science this fall. In the next decade private companies like Intuitive Machines will pave the way for NASA to return humans to the moon but this time the U.S. plans to stay with a sustainable presence. Forcyzk said during the Apollo-era no one could have predicted the commercial space boom fueling today's growing industry. Had NASA continued with a human presence on the moon for more than 50 years without commercial support it likely would not have been sustainable financially or politically. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices