I followed the NASA Artemis Two moon mission with a real sense of excitement. To me, the whole thing was brave and bold and adventurous, and a little scary too (just in case it all went horribly wrong).
I stayed up late for the launch, followed the live updates over the days the mission was in progress, and had my fingers crossed during the atmosphere re-entry and return to earth phase. I consumed every piece of news the BBC published and would have been happy for more. While others were bemused by her, I shared the ‘oh wow’ joy of the BBC’s science editor, Rebecca Morelle - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c05d6pprdleo.
In my opinion the mission was the kind of thing that genuinely showcases the greatness of the United States of America. There aren’t many countries in the world that could have pulled the mission off … or even funded it.
Donald Trump’s MAGA movement has got it all wrong in terms of making the country be the inspiration for the world again. Starting and continuing wars based on flaky evidence and aggressive rhetoric does the complete opposite of making the country great.
NASA and the Artemis Two mission, alternatively, evidence to the world that the US is a beacon and leading the way.
I thought my excitement about Artemis would be shared … and it turns out I was a bit naïve.
Mrs B. thought the whole thing was a shocking waste of money and that there were far more important ‘earth’ issues to focus upon rather than bothering with the moon. And let’s be frank, she has a good argument.
I then spoke to an American army veteran friend of mine, who I thought might share some of the ‘wow’. But no, he was scathing of the whole enterprise. His view of his own government, and the decisions being made by it at the moment, were fascinating.
Essentially his perspective was the whole thing was a colossal waste of American taxpayers’ money and something that shafted ordinary people that are already struggling with cost-of-living issues. As to going to war with Iran, he was gutted about the stupidity of it, and the lack of clear strategy surrounding it.
I didn’t see Artemis Two as a public relations exercise, but those whose opinions matter to me saw it as just that. Going around the moon and back was perhaps little more than a ten-day attention distraction from all the other shit that is going on right now.
Still, it was exciting (for me) while it lasted.
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I stayed up late for the launch, followed the live updates over the days the mission was in progress, and had my fingers crossed during the atmosphere re-entry and return to earth phase. I consumed every piece of news the BBC published and would have been happy for more. While others were bemused by her, I shared the ‘oh wow’ joy of the BBC’s science editor, Rebecca Morelle - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c05d6pprdleo.
In my opinion the mission was the kind of thing that genuinely showcases the greatness of the United States of America. There aren’t many countries in the world that could have pulled the mission off … or even funded it.
Donald Trump’s MAGA movement has got it all wrong in terms of making the country be the inspiration for the world again. Starting and continuing wars based on flaky evidence and aggressive rhetoric does the complete opposite of making the country great.
NASA and the Artemis Two mission, alternatively, evidence to the world that the US is a beacon and leading the way.
I thought my excitement about Artemis would be shared … and it turns out I was a bit naïve.
Mrs B. thought the whole thing was a shocking waste of money and that there were far more important ‘earth’ issues to focus upon rather than bothering with the moon. And let’s be frank, she has a good argument.
I then spoke to an American army veteran friend of mine, who I thought might share some of the ‘wow’. But no, he was scathing of the whole enterprise. His view of his own government, and the decisions being made by it at the moment, were fascinating.
Essentially his perspective was the whole thing was a colossal waste of American taxpayers’ money and something that shafted ordinary people that are already struggling with cost-of-living issues. As to going to war with Iran, he was gutted about the stupidity of it, and the lack of clear strategy surrounding it.
I didn’t see Artemis Two as a public relations exercise, but those whose opinions matter to me saw it as just that. Going around the moon and back was perhaps little more than a ten-day attention distraction from all the other shit that is going on right now.
Still, it was exciting (for me) while it lasted.
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