areoform19h ago

Artemis II safely splashes down

https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/artemis-ii-splashdown-return/

Artemis II crew splashes down near San Diego after historic moon mission

NASA's Artemis II astronauts returned to Earth with a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean after making a high-speed reentry through the atmosphere.

Show threadbrianjlogan18h ago

As an American I feel like I've been going through a bit of an identity crisis from what I remember growing up.

Probably the rose tinted glasses of being a child but being from Florida I always had a sense of amazement and wonder as I heard the sonic boom of the shuttle returning to earth.

Really felt like I was coexisting in this incredible scientific powerhouse of a country full of bright and enabled peoples that knew how to prioritize curiosity and innovation.

Feeling like a bit of a "vibe" post which is everything wrong lately but I can't help but feel some satisfaction that we're still able to accomplish something like this in our space endeavors.

Show threadllbbdd
I think especially online there's a lot of emphasis on "everything is wrong". A mission like this is hard to ignore and highlights the bias. On the whole, despite setbacks, we continue.
Apr 11 at 1:16amWeb
Show threadbombcar17h ago

There's a lot of money/hay/political power/etc to be made from "everything is wrong" - it's hard for "good news" to really get into your bones.

Not to say it's the best of times, nor to say it's the worst of times, mind you. Just that it's really hard to objectively compare.

Show threadsimplyluke17h ago
If you want to dispel a bit more of the ever-pervasive online pessimism bias, read up on global rates of hunger the last time we flew to the moon (1972) vs now. The reality is, for all the problems we face today, there's no sane answer other than today to the question "when would you prefer to be born as a random person on earth"
Show threadhkpack17h ago

It is about trends and perceptions - 70s were very hopeful, now with global problems - wars, climate, AI, uncertainty, what is growing is desperation.

I definitely don’t envy kids that are born nowadays.

Show threadSoftTalker16h ago
The '70s were not hopeful. Economy was terrible, Vietnam ended but still hung over the culture, Watergate, Three Mile Island, cold war threatening to turn hot at any moment.... and Disco.