These episodes are making me feel grumbly and increasingly impatient about our space ambitions.
How is it that were still struggling with such things?
Like, shouldnt this be a piece of cake by now?
Illustration: Gizmodo/Vicky Leta
Space, as a consequential working environment for humans, remains an illusion.
We are stuck on this planet for the foreseeable future, regardless of whatbillionaire CEOsand their devotees might say.
Which does not discount our litany of impressive space-based accomplishments.
Oof: Japan’s SLIM lander, face down on the Moon.Image: JAXA
Stepping back, however, our abilities seem rather limited.
Virtually no one goes to space
Fewer than 650 humans have visited outer space.
Thats a sobering reminder that the final frontier remains an exclusive and elusive place for members of our species.
ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti looks out from a window on the cupola.Photo: NASA
The new space race?
As further evidence of our current limitations, a single companySpaceXdominates the market for rocket launches.
Thats intolerable, and a hurdle that needs to be overcome.
A Falcon 9 blasting off.Image: SpaceX
The financial hurdles, though significant, pale in comparison to the immense technological challenges these companies face.
Astronomically limited budgets
Im a big proponent ofNASAs Artemis program.
Big things will come of this, of that Im fully confident.
NASA’s SLS rocket on the launch pad, April 14, 2022.Photo: NASA
As for the timelines involved, Im considerably less sanguine.
Without the requisite funding, progress in these areas will continue to advance at a snails pace.
Apollo consumed a substantial portion of resources, with NASA receiving 5% of the federal budget.
The Progress 85 cargo craft after undocking from International Space Station.Photo: NASA
NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which debuted in 2022, isnt helping the budgetary situation.
The fully expendable megarocket isalready an anachronism.
Cold War rival Russia is falling woefully behind, too.
Meanwhile, China and India are all systems go, developing their respective space programs at a breakneck pace.
Seems unfathomable, but theres a danger of regressing to a pre-spaceflight civilization.
But thats actually okay.
Were having to learn and accept that space is a plodding affair, with other priorities vying for attention.
Ill be sure to remind myself of this the next time a lunar lander literally bites the lunar dust.
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