Take a look at this recent article, “SpaceX Plans to Send 2 Tourists Around Moon in 2018,” from The New York Times, as well as Samsung’s current “A Moon for all Mankind” VR experience.
It’s interesting to consider these developments, sending tourists to the moon (in real life, or virtually) and space exploration more broadly, in relation to science fiction texts that imagine moon voyages (such as Le Voyage dans la Lune, from over 100 years ago!). This builds on the short article that you read for today’s class, on about the “Moon Express.”
Drop a quick comment to share your thoughts about these developments (or how space / alient/ other worlds have imagined historically, in science or popular culture … or even how you imagine these things), reply to a classmates’ comment, or share your own resources/texts about space exploration. Everyone should make at least one comment before Thursday’s class (9/6), though of course, the more the merrier 🙂
(Helpful hint: you can use this category, “In the News,” at any point throughout the semester to share relevant material with the class.)
*Did you know that as City Tech students, you have free digital access to The New York Times? Check out these instructions for how to get started.
Pingback: 9/4/2018 Class Notes by Vishal Naraine | ENG 2420: Science Fiction
In the both articles, they are try revive an old exploration that has been dead for over 40 years . In the SpaceX article, Elon Musk plans to send two tourists to the moon which has been done in decades. And in the article ” A Moon For All Mankind” Samsung is give people the opportunity to use virtual reality to have the closest, tangible experience being on the moon. This all brings nostalgic feelings.
I didn’t know that no one else went to the moon after the Apollo moon landing in 1972. I hope Elon Musk figures out a way to send those tourist, that way in the future more people will be able to go and it would be cheaper too. Also I signed up to go to the Samsung VR event.
With both articles the it is easy to see that the notion of space travel is still on the forefront of our minds. I think these articles really show us how as people we long to discover the unknown. Although people have traveled to the moon and to outer space everyday individuals haven’t been granted that access which I think makes people long to see it for themselves making companies like space x ever more viable in this day and age.
Space exploration has always been a fascinating topic for me. In the article, “SpaceX Plans to Send 2 Tourists Around Moon in 2018,” Elon Musk decides that he wants to use his own rocket company, SpaceX to allow humans to travel around the moon. In my previous research, Elon Musk has been working hard on his plan to visit Mars. In the link below, Mr. Musk is exploring the ideas of space travel to Mars. His vision is to send people to Mars to help build a future civilization or a second home for mankind. https://www.ted.com/talks/elon_musk_the_future_we_re_building_and_boring/discussion
In the second source, “A Moon for All Mankind” VR experience, I find that this would be an amazing idea. This idea of giving people the chance to act out their very own experience on the moon. It is truly remarkable what Samsung is capable of doing. It gives people the chance of a lifetime that they probably won’t ever get to experience.
Although the moon is considered a giant rock by many people, it’s nice to see that people still have interest in visiting it.  It has a presence in everyday life yet still remains a mystery to many. Even if Samsung’s VR experience isn’t a super realistic interpretation of what it’s like to be on the moon, the idea of experiencing what Samsung calls “the impossible” is exciting.  The numerous craters and mountains, low gravity, and vastness in the sky are a huge difference from what Earth is like and that’s just the surface of it. Underneath the moon, scientists once found water in the Moon’s mantle. The possibilities of what’s on the Moon is endless which is exactly what makes it fascinating to people.
I think the moon virtual reality experience is very interesting and cool. The fact that you wear a space suit and imitate low gravity would make anyone want to try it out, especially science fiction fans. Speaking of science fiction, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone creates a VR experience similar to this, but with sci-fi tropes. For example, maybe you can be with aliens and robots in Mars.
I personally have never tried VR, but I would love to if given the chance. So I wonder how realistic this experience actually is and how effective the VR is.
I admit that I also want to travel outer space and see what the universe has to hold if given the opportunity, but looking at things on the darker side, I can’t help but wonder if we will make it. After all, we are in a race, a race against time and a race against nature. As technology advance, it is taking its toll on nature; in other words, will humans be able to travel outer space and establish a new territory in time before the resources run out on Earth? Furthermore, even if we manage to built a spaceship to take people out into space, but how many of us will actually be able to escape on time?
I once read a Chinese novel, in it, a character once said “In order for people to survive, humans need to experience a rebirth” (my own translation). I wonder when and if we will have a rebirth. Personally, I’m conflicted between hoping and not hoping that it will be in my life-time, but doubt that it will be in my life-time.
I find deep space travel interesting because to find signs of other forms of life and or planets that can hold such life gives everyone hope. Although the technology being created and tested is great I would rather see test runs and manless missions. Because I rather technology be lost than capable minds that can help contribute to the improvement of such technology, this the improvement of mankind. It is great that NASA is willing to branch out of itself and lend aid to companies with the same mission as them. And hopefully more bright minds come into the fold and give us the option to expand as a race and even interact with other living organisms throughout space and even the universe.
I never believed the idea of our government wanting to really find a way to extend life beyond Earth. But now that I am able to read more on it and see that they are taking actions to make this happen kind of gives me a little more confidence in this whole idea. I still partially do not believe that life will extend to beyond Earth for the simple fact that the astronauts who are taking on spending a week out in space for this adventure have to spend millions of dollars to take this trip. If life can expand to another planet, do you really believe anyone will pay millions of dollars to live their life outside of the Earth ?
It’s interesting to see that as modern as our society is, we still strive as a race to fulfill our desire to reach other planets and achieve solar exploration. Although it seems like Google has the right idea for incentivizing companies to invest in space exploration, Elon Musk might be the first to do it, or so he claims. Maybe it is time to make a change to the last time we’ve traveled into space.