space
There are still some people who believe that the moon landings were carried out on a sound stage in a large studio on earth.
Conspiracy theorists I think they are politely called.
Anyway, any lingering doubt that we have set foot on the moon, a mere 250,000 miles or so away should be dispelled by yesterday's news story that we have now landed a probe the size of a fridge on a comet the size of a house hurtling through space over 6 billion kilometres away after a journey lasting 10 years.
Or did we?
While I remain convinced that we did (and have walked on the moon) there are a number of factors that we need to overcome before we can be fully satisfied:
1. parking - how is it that we can fire a spaceship around the sun, slingshot it around mars and then the earth to send it into deepest space and 10 years later land it with pinpoint accuracy on a rock when we are seemingly unable to park a car travelling at 3 miles per hour into a car sized space less than 2 metres away, instead taking up 2 spaces and therefore forcing someone else who needs to use the hospital to park half a mile away?
2. the dark - I am unable to navigate my way around my own house during a power cut, so how can we find this comet in deepest space without bumping into anything where I would imagine sunlight is at a premium, and then take a photograph of it?
3. Europe - this was a European space mission. Europe hasn't got enough money to keep the lights on in Strasbourg or wherever it is that they are based let alone invest billions to fly to a speck of dust.
4. speed - my rough calculations estimate the craft's speed at approaching 45,000 miles per hour. Duh - speed cameras everybody.
Of course, all the above is utter nonsense. But there is one overriding factor that still makes me sceptical.
Where the bloody hell was Bruce Willis?
Conspiracy theorists I think they are politely called.
Anyway, any lingering doubt that we have set foot on the moon, a mere 250,000 miles or so away should be dispelled by yesterday's news story that we have now landed a probe the size of a fridge on a comet the size of a house hurtling through space over 6 billion kilometres away after a journey lasting 10 years.
Or did we?
While I remain convinced that we did (and have walked on the moon) there are a number of factors that we need to overcome before we can be fully satisfied:
1. parking - how is it that we can fire a spaceship around the sun, slingshot it around mars and then the earth to send it into deepest space and 10 years later land it with pinpoint accuracy on a rock when we are seemingly unable to park a car travelling at 3 miles per hour into a car sized space less than 2 metres away, instead taking up 2 spaces and therefore forcing someone else who needs to use the hospital to park half a mile away?
2. the dark - I am unable to navigate my way around my own house during a power cut, so how can we find this comet in deepest space without bumping into anything where I would imagine sunlight is at a premium, and then take a photograph of it?
3. Europe - this was a European space mission. Europe hasn't got enough money to keep the lights on in Strasbourg or wherever it is that they are based let alone invest billions to fly to a speck of dust.
4. speed - my rough calculations estimate the craft's speed at approaching 45,000 miles per hour. Duh - speed cameras everybody.
Of course, all the above is utter nonsense. But there is one overriding factor that still makes me sceptical.
Where the bloody hell was Bruce Willis?
And what about Area 51? Just sayin'
ReplyDeleteLOL You make some very valid points here....... Did you also 'hear' the sounds it's sending back? Now THAT blows my mind!
ReplyDelete