Matt Davies for February 26, 2024

The shape of lunar lander is different, what more can you ask?

Same old same old

The permanent human condition is conflict. Almost always with weapons more deadly than words. Thank goodness there’s also always curiosity, empathy, and fun.

Not Sent by NASA but by Intuitive Machines a space exploration company.

NASA, like the military, always did contract with private companies. (Capitalism, you know.) It’s nice we finally have another unmanned lunar landing preparing us to have another manned landing (after decade after decade after decade…..) But most of our actual discoveries since the moon landings were by satellites, and telescopes, and unmanned probes. Just saying.

This must have been drawn before it was known that Odysseus was lying on its side. What an accomplishment it was that all six of our manned landings were successful over 50 years ago.

Humans: smart but violent. Where’s the asteroid to clean things up?

You’ve drawn the second one incorrectly; unfortunately it’s lying on it’s side. Moon landing is complicated; who knew? :)

Just listen to the Song ‘We Didn’t start the Fire"

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress [Robert Heinlein, 1966]: In 2075, the Moon (Luna) is used as a penal colony by Earth’s government [similar to how Australia was colonized — and to a lesser extent, the US], with three million inhabitants (called “Loonies”) living in underground cities. The economy is agrarian-based with millions of tons of wheat and other grains being ‘shipped’ back to earth via catapult [gigantic capsules are flung down and caught by earth’s gravity and they land in the oceans]. The Loonies discover that along with the grain, their very limited water supply is also being shipped which will mean starvation within 7 years. [Water is obtained by mining ice]. So, they re-enact the American Revolution with the help of a computer named Mike. [Recommend it to students studying the American Revolution]. And now we are realizing Earth’s fresh water crises and launching probes to determine if there is water/ice on the moon. I wonder if the catapult idea is feasible?

Nice to have another lunar lander? Ridiculous. We know what the Moon is made of—same stuff as Earth—and there is nothing there that we need. How long before the military-industrial complex wants to put armed rovers on the Moon? We need to nip this in the bud and stop it now.

“You may leave here for four days in space, but when you return, it’s the same old place…” — Eve of Destruction

You all realize that Odysseus is lying on its side, right?

A moment for Aaron Bushnell

read Robert Heinlein’s The Man Who Sold The Moon to see how is should have been done, go Musk

The lander fell on its side.

But it’s different now. In 1972, the US was directly participating in war. Now, they’re “just” sending weapons and money – lots of money – to one side in a couple of wars.

That’s different, isn’t it?

At first glance I thought this was a Covid comic, maybe because our neighbors and their extended family all have Covid this week. Still with us, folks. Get vaxed!

I note Odyesseus is upright, neither leaning to the left or the right. NASA advises they think it’s on its side. Which one I wonder…..

If only we’d found an alien monolith on the moon…………..