Since money for the NASA space program is a scarce commodity, it would be wise to mothball the Gateway project (the manned lunar orbital mission), which is probably hold-over material from the Obama asteroid capture mission, and use the money for lunar surface exploration, especially at the lunar south pole.
Yeah, but why is moon suddenly so sexy again?
It was an ambitious stretch goal, a mega-technical challenge, and a giant middle finger to the Russians in the 60s.
Now, it's none of those things, so why the urge to repeat the moon, and in specifically in 5 years?
Because Pence wants to look presidential ?!?
Because he heard voices?
Than there is the matter of funding.
NASA has been short funded by the politicians for years, and was forced to slow-roll SLS and Orion development in response. And now the same politicians who never cared to fund NASA, act indignant that moon rocket is not ready for flight tomorrow.
It gets even more curious when you compare the motivational speeches vs. the actual NASA budget requests.
On one hand, it's "all hands on deck" to go to the moon in 5 years.
On the other, the just released proposal for fiscal year 2020 NASA funding is
$500 million less than 2019 budget.
Since Helium 3 is a boondoggle, is there another reason to go back to the moon?
Like we're in a new space race with China ?
For starters, think about what's special about 2024. It all flows from there IMHO.
Perhaps, middle finger to China?
Perhaps, prepping for the 2024 presidential election cycle?
Likely net result - NASA will pull funding from proper scientific space exploration projects in favor of politically favored lunar redux.