Rocket Manner

“Taller than the Statue of Liberty, the ochre rocket thundered into the sky around 1:47 A.M. ET, cleaving the darkness with a searing column of crackling fire and sending shudders through the ground near Cape Canaveral, Fla. Bound for the moon, it carried an uncrewed space capsule and a bounty of scientific payloads. But its most profound cargo is a psychic slice of the ‘American Dream’—a promise that, at least in spaceflight, the U.S. remains exceptional, with capabilities, ambitions and achievements as yet unsurpassed.” Scientific American: Artemis I Launches U.S.’s Long-Awaited Return to the Moon. If all goes well, a crewed mission could happen as soon 2024.

+ If fewer kids grow up wanting to be astronauts these days, this could be why. The social media rules are too strict. NASA’s rules for astronaut posting. (No mooning allowed.)