All spacecraft need radiators because their systems generate heat and you need some way to shed that heat into space. Since convection and ventilation don't work in a vacuum, the only method is radiation.

The need for massive radiators is even greater if you are using nuclear rockets, as those generate massive amounts of heat.

The advantage of For All Mankind spacecraft is that none of them has any cooling system at all. Vital components such as antennas, solar panels, or radiators don't exist in the FAM universe. Some ships don't even carry fuel, which is quite convenient also.

SpaceX operations, including NASA HLS, rely on orbital refueling from Starship tankers.

Once that is up and running, there isn't much advantage in producing rocket fuel on the Moon.

>I believe it’s not just a staging point for lunar missions, but missions to mars and beyond as well.

That doesn't make much sense. If you are going from LEO to Mars, then going to the Moon is a detour that you don't need.

If SpaceX manages to handle orbital refueling the way they need to to get to the Moon, then there is no point in refueling at the Lunar Gateway to go to Mars.

The point of the LG is to give something for SLS to do.

SLS isn't capable of sending all-up Apollo-style lunar mission with a crew module and a lander. So the lander needs to be sent separately. Therefore you need somewhere for the lander to dock, and since it's reusable, to refuel. Therefore, a Lunar Gateway.

If NASA had decided to build a rocket around a mission, instead of figuring out a mission to fit the rocket, then none of this would have been necessary.

Not even that. The Orion capsule is gutted and some of the stuff inside can be reused. The capsule itself is disposable.

The difference being the price of the ticket.

Bezos relieves your overview-effect trauma by spraying champagne on you.

I would want to at least go to orbit, not on a Bezos or Branson suborbital joyride that only lasts a couple of minutes. I also probably wouldn't sell my house to do it.

I do plan on booking a seat on a Zero-G flight one day though. They are around €7000, so definitely more affordable.