Moviegoers are buzzing about the trailer for the film, "First Man," which showcases the behind-the-scenes dynamic involved in the Apollo 11 moon landing.
This of course was a major scientific achievement, but even more so, a political one. At that time, the U.S. and the Soviet Union were engaged in a bitter war to dominate space. The Soviets had kicked our asses, sending up the first satellite, the first living being, and then, the first man into orbit.
The Americans had to beat the Russians. And out of nowhere, they did, sending man to the moon.
In fact, so powerful and profound was the technology to send Apollo 11 to a different planetary body that we no longer have the technology to duplicate it.
According to NASA Flight Controller and Instructor Robert Frost, he explained that once the final mission to the moon was completed, all the technologies and infrastructure deployed to make that achievement was dismantled. Moreover, the high-level scientists and experts employed on the moon job were essentially laid off and sent to work in other departments.
In other words, the moon landing is like a rare, foreign language. Once the last person who speaks that language dies, the language itself dies with that person.
Why nobody wants to rigorously protect, document and conduct further research on humanity's greatest achievement is beyond me.
Anyways, that's neither here nor there.
Please check out the trailer for First Man, and note the sequence between 0:40 and 0:44.
Do you notice something odd about this scene? Yes, the pen is floating, but that's only part of the story.