My Plan to Return to the Moon, and I will be the first to go

I think its time we make our way back to the moon. Its shameful that Mankind has achieved this feat prior to my coming into this world, and hasn't been able to repeat it in my lifetime.

It doesn't need to cost billions of dollars to do so. We can do it - we have the technology.

My Plan to Return to the Moon:
1. The vehicle which will be used to transport humans to and fro the Moon shall be a single reusable vehicle based in part on the current space shuttle design.
2. The vehicle will initially be attached to a large hydrogen dirigible which will raise it to over 100K Feet*
3. The vehicle will be released upon which 2 expendable and detachable rocket boosters attached on pylons under the aircraft’s wings will propel the aircraft initially forward and then up to achieve escape velocity*
4. The vehicle will orbit the earth several times to achieve speed prior to the main rocket engine firing to escape earth orbit. The main rocket engine is located in the aft rear of the vehicle.**
5. The vehicle will make its way to the moon. For space control, the vehicle will sport standard control thrusters.
6. Upon approaching the moon, the vehicle will be captured by the moon’s gravity entering lunar orbit.
7. The vehicle will fire retro rockets for the descent to landing. The vehicle will make an aircraft style landing on the moon’s surface at minimum forward velocity at a flat location on the lunar surface.
8. The vehicle will have compartments to release astronauts to the lunar surface and return aboard the vehicle.
9. When the time comes for earth return, the vehicle will have an engine on the underside of the vehicle to propel it away from the lunar surface.
10. The main rocket engine will fire to propel the vehicle around and out of the lunar orbit towards earth.
11. The vehicle will return to earth in a similar fashion to that of the shuttle – it will reenter the earth’s atmosphere and glide to a landing.


*If this dirigible idea turns out to be unfeasible, the vehicle may be launched into orbit utilizing conventional means. Steps 2 and 3 are replaced with this method.
**If vehicle payload capacity is an issue, where upon the requisite fuel necessary to send humans to the moon and back cannot be carried aboard the vehicle, and in lieu of carrying the service module, a separate payload launched from Russia via traditional means may provide such service. The module will be docked with the shuttle vehicle and provide the vehicle with the rocket power necessary to make its way to the moon. The payload will orbit the moon after the vehicle undocks for landing. The module will remain in orbit until such time the vehicle wishes to return to earth. Whereupon a docking with the module will be accomplished and the module will propel the vehicle towards earth.

Another crazy, low cost plan to go to the moon using existing space technology:

We already have a space shuttle. All we need to do is carry within its payload a lunar lander, and to propel it towards the moon after it achieves earth orbit. A secondary launch may transport another main fuel tank to reattach to the space shuttle for the purposes of providing enough fuel to it's on board rocket motors to take it to the moon.

After this insane post, I think I may return back to the ideas of government policy.