I’m going to guess there will be readers who will not agree with me on this week’s topic.
In Florida, the launch of a rocket (spaceship/shuttle) is always big news, and the news stations dedicate a lot of time to covering those launches. There are very likely many more launches than much of the nation isn’t aware of, but because they happen most often in Florida, they are paid a lot of attention.
There have been many unmanned launches since we moved here, going on five years ago, but the first manned launch took place when Artemis II left the launch pad last week.
Before that launch, there was a lot of news coverage preparing people for the fact that there is always a chance the launch may not happen when planned. The weather is one of the main concerns, but equipment operation is also very important. Artemis II was sitting on the launch pad, the countdown was going, and when it reached ten minutes, the launch countdown was put on hold. A piece of equipment wasn’t communicating with other equipment, and it looked like the launch might be postponed. To solve the problem, a part from a 30-year-old rocket was tested; it worked, and the launch was presumed.
Since there is a four-person crew on the rocket, the safety equipment was more important than with other launches, but Artemis II took off, headed to the moon (more accurately, around the moon). This launch is going to set a new record for the distance traveled by a manned spaceship.
Now I ask why? Why do we need to send men and women on a ten-day trip from Earth, around the moon, and then back? Why is this important? Is the cost of over $90 billion justified? Aren’t there more important things to spend this money on?
Maybe I’m in the minority when I say I’ve always wondered why the space program is so important.
I realize we wouldn’t have our current GPS systems if it weren’t for all the satellites that have been placed in space above the Earth, but I have a hard time justifying the cost of our manned space missions.
Just my opinion.
Have A Good Week!
