Good point

[vlebo]

This morning I was looking through a mag and came across a picture of Buzz Aldrin standing next to the American flag on the Moon from 1969. My nine year old daughter asked me what the picture was and I told her it was a photo from when Man first landed on the Moon .

She then asked why is the flag an American one ? Does that mean the Moon belongs to the Americans ? After I explained that wherever Man gets to for the first time it is customary to place the flag of that persons country in the ground , which got me thinking why should that be the case with space exploration. Surely anywhere we go to in space whoever it may be from whatever country is representing Mankind as a whole so should we not have a flag for all Mankind that we can use as a symbol for the planet from where we come from ?

I realise things do not work that way but when it comes to space exploration should we not be looking at the bigger picture ?

[Bigwings]

Ah you missed the rig drilling for oil in the background of the picture.....Its American oil because they discovered it........

Perhaps one day we will be as one.....probably just before the sun gobbles us up.

Me a cynic ........NOOOOOO

[themos]

It was the American taxpayer that put Buzz and Neil and Mike up there, I don't begrudge them waving their flag one bit.

[kniclander]

how about a big M for mankind sort of golden and shaped like two big arches...?

ps i think his name was Aldrin not Aldwin

[vlebo]

how about a big M for mankind sort of golden and shaped like two big arches...?

ps i think his name was Aldrin not Aldwin

Ooops

[Bigwings]

Thermos, Great achievment by NASA, the crew and science and no doubt worth flying the stars and stripes for. When you look at the space race political motivation and the propensity for politics to get very self centered you may understand my cynical view.

I would just like to see Stars and Stripes flying over monument to all the dead children from malaria saying "Uncle Sam banished malaria by donating mosquito nets"

[michaelmorris]

Given the huge cost incurred by the US in putting a Man on the Moon, I think it might be considered churlish to deny them a little bit of self congratulation.

[philsail1]

I think it's best to "let sleeping dogs lie." If any other design of flag was put up, I'm sure it would offend someone somewhere!

philsail1

[vlebo]

I do not want to turn this into a political debate , I just feel that space exploration should not be a selfish endeavour but one that can unite Mankind and make us realise how special we are , not as a race of people but as a living Planet.

[Vega]

Just wait until mankind tries claiming bits of the moon (For real).. we all know what we've had to go through to claim land before... lets hope history doesn't repeat itself! :-s

Matt

ps.. one word.. Helium3 ... legs it.............. lol

[Bigwings]

Your right its not a political debate. The US did a great job and deserve crowing rights.

My disapointment is the inability of man to achieve the really great things .

If the yanks get to mars I will pull the ladder out climb up and plant the flag for them.

Dont know why I'm so cynical must be my PMT LOL

[Hipolito]

I think the flag also served as an 'in your face' to the Russians, no?

[surfindogg]

Although this is a bit off track..........

What if by some unbelievable twist we are the only intelligent [i use that phrase guardedly as it can't apply to all humans] life around and have by default inherited the whole kit and kaboodle?

Unless we do do the Lennon dream of no countries etc and become a global unity, I don't think we will make it any further than the edge of our solar system, if that! The moon as we know, is a source of helium3 and the asteroids a rich source of other materials that we are running out of down here. Do we want to make a greed and profit motivated race to the stars or do we want to take giant steps as a race, pooling skills and knowledge for the benefit of all?

Mind you we will all be fighting over water in the not too distant future. Global companies are already buying up water rights the world over. Who owns the rain?

So it probably will be, "Do you want fries with your moonburger?" and Starbucks on Mars!

Time for a frothy beer I think and a spot of stargazing.

[DemonicOmelette]

Anyway, it was all faked, wasn't it?

[Psychobilly]

I quite like the idea of a line of massed moon buggies in a 21st cntury version of a land grab....

The Hubble is a fake as well all the images were taken afocally using a seben big boss....

[The Warthog]

Hipolito is absolutely right. The whole impetus behind the space race was an ideological war to show whether communism or cowboy capitalism was the superior system. The USSR had the first satellite and the first orbiting human being, and the Americans just weren't going to be left in the red dust.

The Americans won, and the ideological reasons for going to the Moon dwindled away. From then on it's been profit, for the most part, with low earth orbit filled with communications satellites, weather satellites, GPS and broadcast media, and a little basic science. We aren't going to the Moon or Mars unless we can make a ton of money doing it.

[themos]

We aren't going to the Moon or Mars unless

we start a rumour that the Chinese are getting there first.

[Dangerous-Dave]

I think Europe paid quite dearly for the rocket technology Mr Von Braun used to send Americans to the moon.

The political climate was different back then, but if it happened now I would like to think a UN flag would be displayed alongside the American.

[Macavity]

In a non-confrontational way: I do remember the cartoons that featured "Moon Men" - Usually waving placards with "Yanks (Or Russians) Go Home"? Or when CHIMPS first went into space, one of their number speeding out of an American Base, with an MP shouting: "Hey Sarge, ain't that HIM movin' out with your chick?"

But to even things up, here are our own intrepid explorers preparing for their Lunar Mission: Giles Cartoons - a Celebration

The Random link brings back one or two other memories of a slightly less cynical time.

[Sam]

If my nation put someone on the moon with my taxes I would want my flag up their to. It takes a staggering amount of leadership, resources and risk to do something like that and any country that manages to do it should proudly show their flag - IMHO:)

[Psychobilly]

Got a lot of the Giles books ... taht links reminded me to dig them out theres so much going on in his catroons you have to keep going back to them...

Peter....

[Dangerous-Dave]

If my nation put someone on the moon with my taxes I would want my flag up their to. It takes a staggering amount of leadership, resources and risk to do something like that and any country that manages to do it should proudly show their flag - IMHO:)

And some nice big loan payments from the UK for the cost of WW2 of course.