The Problem

Although many have shown interest in furthering humanity in space, progress has mostly stagnated. The last time a human even left orbit was in 1972. Mostly, only small rovers and satellites have been sent at an extravagant cost. That is one major setback for space exploration today: many governments simply don't have the budget for space travel, and it is not worth the cost. Even the most efficient rocket available today costs at least $50 million to launch, and can only carry about 5,000 pounds of cargo to low orbit.

Additionally, science itself is a limiter. At present, the ratio of fuel to payload is very unfavorable, and it eventually reaches the point where the fuel is too heavy to lift itself. It is physically impossible to hold more than the current maximum amount of cargo while keeping a rocket in launchable conditions.