Artemis Price Tag & JFK’s Space Walk Match?

As Artemis space program’s launch to the Moon was put on hold for weeks due to a fuel leak (not Putin cutting off its gas supply), it’s time perhaps to weigh in whether NASA’s $93B cost is worth it. What would JFK say?

Baby Boomers will surely still recall President Kennedy’s inspiring challenge to get an American on the moon within a decade. Sure, he was motivated in part to beat those damn Russkies there … and everywhere. But, Mr. Kennedy in his Rice U speech vowing the moon will not be “governed by a hostile flag of conquest” also spoke to the more altruistic if vague goals of enhancing life on earth and preparing to explore the rest of our solar system. More than 50 years later, maybe it’s time to revisit those two motivating factors?

Maybe the Chinese have replaced the Russians as the US's boogey man du jour. But, in five decades since the first man took one small step for mankind on the moon, have the humans’ standards of living been “enhanced” significantly? Has new technologies alluded to in JFK’s speech improved life or made it worse on balance?

Davd Soul