Elon Musk changed the course of space exploration on February 6th, 2018 when he launched his car into space. According to Nathan Robinson, this makes Musk responsible for the deaths of 80 Syrians.
SpaceX has more than earned the right to proudly tout the new Falcon Heavy as the “world’s most powerful rocket“.
The launch itself was truly amazing, making the payload inside an extra treat: A Tesla Roadster driven by an astronaut dummy. The reasoning? Musk thought it would be “silly and fun” to launch a car into space, and he was right. This move has removed any doubts surrounding the bearer of the crown…
Not everyone is happy with Musk’s methods of acquiring the crown. Current Affairs editor Nathan Robinson took it upon himself to post an article on The Guardian titled “Why Elon Musk’s SpaceX launch is utterly depressing“. Robinson expresses his distress over the news that 80 people in Syria were killed by government airstrikes the same day SpaceX revolutionized space travel. He is right to be distressed over the loss of lives; it is incredibly sad news, and I give my deepest condolences to the families of the victims. That being said, the airstrike is completely unrelated to the SpaceX launch. Yet, Robinson still tries to guilt-shame Musk by associating his accomplishments to the deaths of these individuals.
To be sure, many of the issues Nathan Robinson addressed in his article are relevant and are cause for concern. I just do not think attacking the King of the Nerds on his day of triumph is the best way to go about solving the world’s problems. Definitely a great way to make people puke in disgust and hate you, though.
Also, if you want to track the Tesla Roadster in space, check out this website.
Special thanks to Noah Schoonover for this topic suggestion.
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