21 Comments
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Jack Miller's avatar

The program stopped to soon. The leaders lost focus and a long range goal. Now we are making a little progress over my lifetime but we lost a lot of momentum when Apollo was shutdown.

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Sika57's avatar

It was sad to see this end, as a teenager I saw Apollo 17 lift off from the Cape, those rockets were huge and the whole ground shook! I think we need to resume our moon flights then to Mars. Hopefully my kids and grandkids will see this happen. Thanks Tara!!!

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Wally Firkins's avatar

An interesting question Tara. The answer is undoubtedly yes. We gain more knowledge and more skills with repetition and the succeeding flights should become safer and potentially less expensive.

In my opinion, we should already be on Mars or another planet. It doesn't appear that we have gained much space ability since the 1970s.

Elon Musk has proven that private space exploration is possible. Imagine what could happen if private and public joined together.

Thank you Tara for stirring up what should be the creation of more interest in space exploration in the near future.

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Jim's avatar

Exactly Right Wally ✅️ 👏 👌 💯 👍

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Bill Leistiko's avatar

I was in my mid 20s when Apollo was cancelled. I remember thinking it was a big mistake. America has always been about going to the unknown, doing the impossible. I have always thought there was some backroom politics involved in the decision.

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George Kim's avatar

I’m not sure that we actually went there. Aside from the photographs, the fact that NASA deleted most of the moon mission data makes it very suspicious. If we continued the charade it would have been evident that the moon mission was a fraud. It’s like Admiral Byrd’s going to the North Pole. Over 50 years later we applaud the International Space Station which is 25 miles away versus the over 200,000 miles away for the moon. Why are we going to Mars when we should be building a colony on the moon? Sounds like a boondoggle.

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Johnny Baker Jr. MLA's avatar

The 💰 isn't there. The politics make it questionable now, too. NASA couldn't rescue the folks on the ISS, and Biden wouldn't allow SpaceX to do it because he didn't want Trump to get the credit. Hopefully, it happens soon.

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Samuel Vanderburg's avatar

The launch is/was today! The stranded astronauts will soon be back on earth!

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Patty's avatar

Our space exploration has always been an exciting adventure. We accomplished a lot during NASA’s time, but going with private/public sector… ie: Space X is better. We also learned a lot. I wish we hadn’t stop the space program, but I’m glad Musk has taken on the challenge. The government can never do as well as American entrepreneurs.

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Jim's avatar

👏👏👏

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Will Southcombe's avatar

Great story. The the height of the lunar projects coincided with Vietnam AND then the first OPEC strike - those were interesting times. Thank you, Tara Ross!

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G Sulham's avatar

Kennedy set a goal to reach the moon and return. After Apollo 11, the “space race” was over. There was not another challenge to work towards.

Perhaps had the goal been “ To build a moon base and establish a colony” the results might have been different.

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John Buckley's avatar

We (Americans), have always applauded our brave pilots and astronauts, for stepping aboard the space vehicles, yet each one of them knows that there is more risk involved with each mission into space, or orbit around the earth.

I'm sure their families, (wish) them the best, but would rather see them stay here on solid ground, in the safety of "home". Only the bravest would ever get into the seats of a rocket, knowing that "this may be their last flight." Pray for their safety, no matter whether they are American scientists, or Russian.

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Charlie Kendall's avatar

As a young boy I remember watching the Saturday morning cartoon adventures of space travel and rockets. The rockets came back to earth with pinpoint landing while being grabbed by arms extending from upright towers. Hmm…wonder where Elon got his ideas for landing his reusable rockets. I was amazed at the video of Musk’s rockets coming back to earth. Private interests are more suitable to make progress in the space program. They have shown progress in a very short period of time and the public is in awe of their achievements.

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George Kim's avatar

The moon is 200,00 miles away. The recent arrival of two from International Space Station was 25 miles away. We allegedly lost the technology to go to the moon according to NASA. Musk wants to go to Mars with Robots. Why aren’t we going back to the moon and move the Space Station on the moon’s surface? Something doesn’t add up.

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James M Airesman's avatar

Thank you, Tara.

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Samuel Vanderburg's avatar

The spinoffs from the developments made for the lunar missions are remarkable and the profit through these has been tremendous. I cannot help but think that if NASA had continued to progress as it had from the start that the benefits would have continued to outweigh the cost. I have never seen a study on this, but the positive economic and technological impact of space exploration outweigh its cost is pretty evident to me. Thanks, Tara!

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Samuel Vanderburg's avatar

Really? Blind to the obvious. What is the economic impact of the micro-computer? It is a direct spinoff of NASA’s development. What is the impact of the lowly electronic watch? Again, another spinoff.

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George Kim's avatar

What were the benefits? Economically? Do you mean that quantitative easing, the printing of cash and the spending by governments has replaced actual productivity of goods? I think we’re being played.

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Samuel Vanderburg's avatar

Really? You amaze me. Do your own research so you can see the sources and it’s not second hand.

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George Kim's avatar

Like you said you’ve never seen a study.

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