There is some debate in the space community about whether we should concentrate on making the Moon or Mars the next objective. Some say one place at a time. If we explore and develop the Moon well enough we can make it into a sort of stepping stone for Mars exploration. Some say Mars is the next objective. And really it should be the main one, Mars still looks like it is the most Earth-like of all the planets and satellites.
But clearly neither destination is really ours. When the time comes it will be the destination of the next generation. Shouldn’t we let them in on the discussion?
The next generation in the developed world likes cinema as that still seems to be one of the biggest mediums of expression. I’m not going to bore you with their likes and dislikes about Mars, Moon and space exploration movies. No. Instead we will look at the next generation’s take on Psycho.
There’s much to get the young ones’ interest piqued about this piece. It’s horror. It has action. It was made by a master of the form, Alfred Hitchcock, at the height of his powers. So pop it into someone from the next generation’s viewing list and wait. When it begins they will exclaim, “I can’t watch this it’s black and white!”
Take a look at the Moon next time you’re out at night. It is a black and white globe. Why the most colourful thing on it is that ridiculous, fake American flag the astronauts put on its surface. And if you get a chance to go to some other part of it, chances are the most colourful thing to see will be the blue/green Earth when it is visible.
The next generation will leave the “boring” Moon to be a starting point to developing countries’ space programs. Perhaps China, perhaps India could become a front runner there.
The developed world so much wants Mars that death missions are being planned with one way tickets to that planet. They simply want it too soon. The sensible choose to leave it for the next generation and a couple decades from now. The next generation is going to dream in the colour red.
