"Science-based" is such a meaningless weasel adjective. Either you have evidence or you have a nice-sounding story....but the latter has nothing to do with science properly understood.
Sure, so we might not stop an eccentric rich adventurer from self-funding an effort like this. But that doesn't necessarily mean the government would sponsor it, or allow people to be employed to do it.
Safety. Back then it was basically part of the Cold War. Today, what are you asking the people to risk their lives for? Making things civilian-safe is expensive.
Sorry for your loss.