Comments on: Shifting motivation for space exploration https://habitablezone.com/2012/12/17/shifting-motivation-for-space-exploration/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:18:10 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: alcaray https://habitablezone.com/2012/12/17/shifting-motivation-for-space-exploration/#comment-21877 alcaray Mon, 17 Dec 2012 22:29:20 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=28327#comment-21877 I think there's much too much of blaming the masses for not working towards things we do not ourselves work towards. I think there’s much too much of blaming the masses for not working towards things we do not ourselves work towards.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2012/12/17/shifting-motivation-for-space-exploration/#comment-21875 ER Mon, 17 Dec 2012 21:07:28 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=28327#comment-21875 The first moon landing was in 1969. That means everyone over the age of 43 has been brought up with manned space travel all their lives, even older if you count the early LEO missions. It is no big deal to them, any more than aviation was for their parents' generation. It may be hard for people hanging out at this website to accept it, but the vast majority of Americans think football is more important than space travel. They may not answer that way if asked outright, but if you watch their behavior, there is no doubt that's how they feel. I think government deserves much credit for the non-military space program it has managed to keep going in spite of public apathy. I was a space groupie as a kid, I kept up with developments and I knew it was coming. Sputnik went up when I was ten years old, and I was 21 when Apollo landed on the moon. I watched Armstrong and his crew take off from my house in Tampa, just a white contrail against the eastern sky, but I saw him go! And I wept with joy when he stepped on the lunar surface. That people don't feel that way anymore may be perfectly understandable, but I can't understand it. The first moon landing was in 1969. That means everyone over the age of 43 has been brought up with manned space travel all their lives, even older if you count the early LEO missions. It is no big deal to them, any more than aviation was for their parents’ generation.

It may be hard for people hanging out at this website to accept it, but the vast majority of Americans think football is more important than space travel. They may not answer that way if asked outright, but if you watch their behavior, there is no doubt that’s how they feel. I think government deserves much credit for the non-military space program it has managed to keep going in spite of public apathy.

I was a space groupie as a kid, I kept up with developments and I knew it was coming. Sputnik went up when I was ten years old, and I was 21 when Apollo landed on the moon. I watched Armstrong and his crew take off from my house in Tampa, just a white contrail against the eastern sky, but I saw him go! And I wept with joy when he stepped on the lunar surface.

That people don’t feel that way anymore may be perfectly understandable, but I can’t understand it.

]]> By: alcaray https://habitablezone.com/2012/12/17/shifting-motivation-for-space-exploration/#comment-21874 alcaray Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:40:40 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=28327#comment-21874 Congress on autopilot will do all sorts of things that are the will of congress. When they hear from the people what the people want, then they tend to do that instead. If you lament NASAs direction then let them know. Congress on autopilot will do all sorts of things that are the will of congress. When they hear from the people what the people want, then they tend to do that instead.

If you lament NASAs direction then let them know.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2012/12/17/shifting-motivation-for-space-exploration/#comment-21870 ER Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:52:40 +0000 http://www.habitablezone.com/?p=28327#comment-21870 In the last half of the 15th century they pushed south along the coast of Africa, around the Cape of Good Hope and into the Indian Ocean. They had trade and projected military power as far as India, the Spice Islands, China and even Japan. They had the best ships and the most advanced navigational technology, and an infrastructure to support it all. Columbus sailed West because the Portuguese controlled the routes to the East. Someone had to be first. But there is no guarantee they will hold that position forever. In the last half of the 15th century they pushed south along the coast of Africa, around the Cape of Good Hope and into the Indian Ocean. They had trade and projected military power as far as India, the Spice Islands, China and even Japan. They had the best ships and the most advanced navigational technology, and an infrastructure to support it all. Columbus sailed West because the Portuguese controlled the routes to the East.

Someone had to be first. But there is no guarantee they will hold that position forever.

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