We Have Liftoff

[3rdrockfrmsun]

We just went back to the Moon.

First crewed mission in over 50 years. New rocket. New capsule. Real people strapped in, leaving Earth orbit and slipping out into deep space again.

And right now, as this is being written, they’re already on their way—past the noise, past the headlines, moving through that long stretch between here and there.

And it feels…quiet.
Too quiet.

No wall-to-wall coverage. No cultural moment. No sense that anything historic is actively unfolding above us. Just another headline that came and went like it didn’t matter.
But it does.

Fifty years ago, the world stopped to watch. Streets emptied. TVs glowed in every living room. People felt it.

Now? Most people couldn’t tell you where that spacecraft is…or that it’s even out there at all.
So what changed?

Did we lose our sense of wonder…
or did something about this get flattened, buried, or quietly pushed to the side?
Because this isn’t just a launch. It’s a mission in motion.
And somehow, it already feels like background noise.
Not unless someone prefers it that way.

[guyfriday]

I think one of the reasons for this is that SpaceX could have done this last year if NASA wasn't so intent on being back first. 

I mean SpaceX has launched over 40 rocket launches this year, each with recovered rockets, then we have that SpaceX is currently on track to do a test flight (uncrewed) to Mars this year. 

Nevertheless, this return to the moon is important, but it's getting overshadowed by NASAs own politics and world events.

We lost our wonder due to how badly NASA filters what the world is allowed to see. In contrast, SpaceX lets it mostly be shown. When NASA Loses a rocket, they don't discuss it with the world, nor do they openly show their videos of the loss. SpaceX on the other hand shows it all, during a launch if the rocket blows up, we get to see their videos of the event, as well as what's going on in the control room. 

SpaceX has taken a lot of the fan fair NASA used to have. NASA could regain that back but not while they are more concerned about political appearances more than mission goals. 

At this pace, NASA will be building it's colony on the moon while SpaceX is broadcasting live (with time delays) from Mars. It's a hard climb for NASA.

[David64]

The magic is gone.
In 1969 the closest we had came to outer space was Buck Rogers or Dr Who. We had some grainy pictures from Mars, but nothing compared to what we have today and Valentine Michael Smith was our resident Martian.

Now we have rovers on Mars and Dejah Thoris must be hiding with John Carter because all we see is rocks and dust. You want to see an alien planet, just pull up 4k pics on the internet. Neptune, the rings of Saturn or the moons of Jupiter ? There ya go. No imagination needed.

I think national pride is gone too. People were once proud of being an American and the things we accomplished. Now half the people hate the country they live in and have no pride in our achievements. We have a "been there done that" attitude.

Maybe I've read too much old Science Fiction, but as a kid I was really looking forward to battling a tentacled monster from the Venusian Swamps.

[ArMaP]

The magic is gone.
In 1969 the closest we had came to outer space was Buck Rogers or Dr Who. We had some grainy pictures from Mars, but nothing compared to what we have today and Valentine Michael Smith was our resident Martian.

Now we have rovers on Mars and Dejah Thoris must be hiding with John Carter because all we see is rocks and dust. You want to see an alien planet, just pull up 4k pics on the internet. Neptune, the rings of Saturn or the moons of Jupiter ? There ya go. No imagination needed.

I think national pride is gone too. People were once proud of being an American and the things we accomplished. Now half the people hate the country they live in and have no pride in our achievements. We have a "been there done that" attitude.

People have changed, along with society.

Also, what was promoted in 1969 as being "the biggest step for humanity" cannot be replicated unless you admit that it wasn't the biggest step, just another big step in a new direction, so now they cannot do that whole publicity stunt again (and it was in a large part a publicity stunt).

Me, I'm still as interested as I was in 1969.

[Roma]

I have to wonder...with the media being a mouthpiece for the left, why would anyone expect otherwise?

[David64]

I have to wonder...with the media being a mouthpiece for the left, why would anyone expect otherwise?

I don't think it's a Left/Right thing, it's that we're spoiled on technology. 50 years ago it was a complicated, expensive effort to call international, but now we just tap a button and just like magic, we can talk to anyone on the planet. Real time video from the other side of the world ? It used to be only the big network news agencies could do that. Now we just pick a Youtube channel.
Smart phones, self driving cars, hell we even have vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers that guide themselves and you don't need to be able to read a paper map, your car tells you where to go and when to turn.

Most people's reaction : A rocket launch to the moon ? Yawn.

[putnam6]

I don't get it...I can get enough info, so many places to follow that do it better than our MSM ever could
I need to hear from experts not the talking heads yapping and yammering basic shit.

The Van Allen belt concerns have been conquered, and the toilet problems have been handled...

See you on the dark side of the moon

[BeyondKnowledge]

I think The Martian covered it quite well. 

The part where the NASA chief was unwilling to even mention to the public the guy was still alive before they were able to figure out if he could survive long enough to have a rescue attempt. it would look bad for the PR and such, leading to funding loss. 

The problem is with the total lack of imagination of the ones in charge of NASA's budget. We could have been on Mars in the 80s or 90s if a few of them had any understanding or insight to what could be accomplished. 

The technology developed could have solved world hunger and world energy needs. What else was lost due to budget cuts?

NASA is only as good as the rules set for them by Congress. And those rules keep development almost stagnant.

I just hope the ship and crew makes it back safely. Most of the public and government has no understanding of how dangerous this little trip is.

[BeyondKnowledge]

I think The Martian covered it quite well. 

The part where the NASA chief was unwilling to even mention to the public the guy was still alive before they were able to figure out if he could survive long enough to have a rescue attempt. it would look bad for the PR and such, leading to funding loss. 

The problem is with the total lack of imagination of the ones in charge of NASA's budget. We could have been on Mars in the 80s or 90s if a few of them had any understanding or insight to what could be accomplished. 

The technology developed could have solved world hunger and world energy needs. What else was lost due to budget considerations.

[k0rn]

Microsoft messed it up

https://www.tomshardware.com/software/mi...re-working