Artemis II crew see first glimpse of far side of Moon [video]
Artemis II’s crewed flyby of the Moon — including early “first glimpse” views of its far side — prompts both awe and skepticism among commenters. Many celebrate the symbolic and technical achievement, the return of humans to deep space, and the inspirational value in a troubled world, while others see an underwhelming Apollo rerun marred by political pork, inequality at home, and weak scientific return. Much of the exchange turns on clarifying misconceptions about the Moon’s “dark side,” comparing crewed missions to robotic probes, and weighing space exploration against urgent earthly priorities.
Far Side vs “Dark Side” and Mission Geometry
- Many were confused whether the image showed the far side; several note it’s mostly the familiar near side with a small sliver of far side visible.
- Multiple comments reiterate that “dark side” is a misnomer: the far side gets as much sunlight as the near side; it’s only fully dark around full moon from Earth’s perspective.
- Explanations clarify that Artemis II is on a trajectory to where the Moon will be, so from Orion’s offset viewpoint they can see a bit of terrain never visible from Earth, even before going fully behind the Moon.
Excitement vs Indifference and Real‑World Problems
- Some express awe at humans again viewing the Moon’s far side “with the naked eye,” calling it emotionally powerful.
- Others say it feels underwhelming: “been there, done that,” especially given Apollo-era achievements.
- A significant thread argues everyday struggles (rent, healthcare, inequality) make it hard to care about lunar flybys; others counter that hardship has always existed and spaceflight can still inspire.
Costs, Priorities, and “Whitey on the Moon”
- Multiple comments invoke Gil Scott‑Heron’s “Whitey on the Moon” to question spending on space while people lack basic needs.
- Counterpoints: NASA’s budget is tiny relative to military or healthcare spending; cutting spaceflight would not meaningfully fix poverty.
- Some see the poem as a valid perspective on inequality; others dismiss it as counterproductive resentment.
Artemis Architecture, Pork, and Alternatives
- Many criticize SLS/Orion as “pork” and corporate welfare (“Senate Launch System”), reusing old RS‑25 engines and discarding them in the ocean.
- Comparisons with Apollo and with SpaceX Starship: Artemis is seen by some as a costly, conservative Apollo repeat; others prefer “pork that produces moonshots” over pure defense spending.
- Some argue crewed Artemis II adds little new science; defenders stress testing deep‑space life‑support, heat shield, and operations with humans on board.
Media, Imagery, and Tracking Tools
- Several complain about weak public documentation: lots of crew-reaction video, relatively few high‑quality external Moon/Earth views.
- Others share live trackers and NASA visualization tools, with mixed feedback on usability and performance.
Politics, Religion, and Meta‑Discussion
- Strong disagreement over bringing religion (e.g., Bible readings) into broadcasts.
- Broader political debates arise (wars, fascism, inequality, billionaire influence), often overshadowing technical talk.
- Some lament pervasive cynicism and politicization in what they expected to be a mostly enthusiastic, technical community.