Artemis II crew see first glimpse of far side of Moon [video]

Post by eatsyourtacos » Sun, Apr 05, 2026, 6:16 PM UTC

dotancohen wrote: post #90

delecti wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I sure hope they don't. Even just the hint of connecting this achievement to the supposed Christian nature of the US would reinforce a lot of the bad things in the world right now. Namely, that we're actively at war in the middle east (Christianity and Judaism vs Islam), in a burgeoning cold war with China (more Christianity vs "godless" communists), and run by an increasingly fascistic administration (the ties betwe…

I am not a Christian, but it was arguably the Christian value system which forged the government and institutions that made these achievements possible. Such progress happens only in high trust societies.

Post by bobmcnamara » Sun, Apr 05, 2026, 6:19 PM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #88

al_borland wrote: post #65

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I ran across this video[0] yesterday with Neil deGrasse Tyson talking about how it’s always been political. The first moon landing was more about global politics than science. As a child you likely weren’t concerned about that side of it, or were shielded from it. It isn’t always the purist motivations that push the human race forward, but forward it moves us. [0] https://youtu.be/j_AlXChA9F4

I don't think OP's problem with it is that it's "political" but that it's a product of pork and corporate welfare. The political thrust of the Apollo program was more "beat the Russians" and less "funnel money into dozens of already-rich corporations in favored districts." Even thought there was a lot of that, too. Modern space (and defense) projects seem to be almost 100% "pork funnel" and zero anything else.

Post by b00ty4breakfast » Sun, Apr 05, 2026, 6:21 PM UTC

remarkEon wrote: post #147

rybosome wrote: post #33

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I just came across this poem a few days ago and had the opportunity to think about it. It’s a valuable perspective to hear. As someone prone to getting caught up in the breathless excitement about science, progress, human achievement, etc., it is a hard truth that these things are abstract and not relevant for people who are struggling with day-to-day life, particularly when those struggles are a result of the same g…

I don't think it's actually a useful perspective at all. The poem is racial resentment repackaged as a means to guilt trip people into feeling bad about adventure, science, and exploration. Unless they were pretty well read at a young age, most millennials probably first experienced this poem in the film First Man, where it is read as a backdrop to Apollo 11 traveling to the moon. It's a great scene because the juxta…

Post by pests » Sun, Apr 05, 2026, 6:27 PM UTC

philipallstar wrote: post #61

jameslars wrote: post #38

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And your life might be very privileged to so flippantly disregard anyone’s reality that is just that difficult.

It's that difficult but they're also commenting on hn.

Post by deepfriedbits » Sun, Apr 05, 2026, 6:29 PM UTC

davidw wrote: post #53

It makes me tear up seeing the absolute 'best of us' as humanity striving and exploring in the midst of so much wretched evil and awfulness.