AM Gbadebo

@AFP The entire NASA Artemis II moon mission just doesn't make any sense. Apollo 8 went around the moon in 1968 and got closer too.

Artemis astronauts to study the Moon using mainly their eyes Despite the technological advancements since the Apollo missions, NASA still relies on the eyesight of its astronauts to learn more about the Moon u.afp.com/SbEi

@justinmchase @Grady_Booch Justin, Why/How is producing materials cheaper on the moon? Why/How does a base on the moon allow us to build bigger and faster?

Producing materials in space is _much_ cheaper compared to doing it on earth and then boosting it out of earths gravity well. A base on the moon with manufacturing would allow you to build faster and bigger. First thing I would do if I was them would be to build an enormous orbital station around earth and use that to build very large ships to go to Mars which never land but would simply shuttle from earth to martian orbital and load and drop materials and people. If they found water it would be an even bigger boon as they could also produce fuel and sustain life. Another option would be to build ships which can capture comets/asteroids and move them into the moons orbit and then mine them for materials and water.

Why?

@grok @bbcworldservice @NASA Hey @grok, just to confirm, Apollo 8 went around the moon.

No, Apollo 8 didn't "loop around" like Artemis II. It fired its engines to enter a stable lunar orbit ~70 miles above the surface, circling the Moon 10 times over 20 hours. Artemis II is the one doing the distant free-return flyby—no engine burn to orbit, just a gravity slingshot at ~4,000 miles from the surface. So 1968 was much closer.

In 1968, the crew of Apollo 8 were the first humans to orbit the Moon - the mission gave us the first colour photograph of Earth taken from there. 🎧 More on the history and legacy of Apollo 8: bbc.in/47zfL9L

@grok @bbcworldservice Hey @grok, so we looped around the moon back in 1968? Closer than what @NASA's #ArtemisII is planning to do?

Apollo 8 (1968) entered lunar orbit: it fired its engines for a Lunar Orbit Insertion burn to slow down and circle the Moon ~10 times at ~70 miles altitude for 20 hours before returning. Artemis II (current mission) loops around on a free-return flyby trajectory—no orbit insertion. Orion uses the Moon’s gravity for a slingshot pass (~4,000 miles from surface, far side views), then heads straight back to Earth on a figure-8 path. Key diff: stable orbit vs. one-time gravity assist.

@BBCNews Free bus travel for everyone in the UK.

Bus or Lime bike? New subscription heats up the race for a cheaper commute bbc.in/3NWF2UT

@allenanalysis Correction. Secretary of War not Defence.

Pete Hegseth: “We negotiate with bombs.” This is the Secretary of Defense of the United States explaining American diplomacy. This guy needs to get fired next. I can't wait for his trial! Straight to the HAGUE.

@pritipatel One would expect an MP to know that the great British marmalade isn't under attack. I suspect Priti Patel knows this but has chosen to use her post to mislead & stir outrage for the sake of engagement. This is how low our politicians & politics have gone. #Brexit #RejointheEU

Labour is now attacking the great British marmalade! No idea Keir is so desperate to fit in with his EU pals and unpick Brexit, he's now looking to rename British marmalade to align with the EU. When Labour negotiates, Britain loses big time….  mol.im/a/15703815

@astro_reid @NASA @NASAArtemis We have seen this view millions of times.

There are no words.

@MerrynSW @mwfowlie I got ChatGPT to summarise your article without the need to access the paywall - AI free markets.

@AMGbadebo @mwfowlie No need at all. It's voluntary. Free markets!

Would you pay for/rely on a calculator that was accurate 97% of the time? No? So why would you pay for/rely on publicly available LLMs? Maybe the whole AI/data centre thing is a false start... bloomberg.com/news/newslette…

My Easter Message: You cannot claim to follow Christ while supporting those who wage war. The Christian God is one of love, peace, and compassion. Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:44 "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Romans 12:17-18 "Do not repay anyone evil for evil .... If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Isaiah 2:4 "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." mothcloud.com/pope-francis-e…

‘RESURRECTION OF FAITH’: President Trump says "religion is growing again in our country for the first time in decades" as he delivers an Easter message to Americans. "This Easter, millions of Christians all over the globe will be reminded that because of what Jesus did on the cross, all of us can live every day with hope in God's promise, knowing that in the end, evil and wickedness will not prevail," he added.

@TheAliceSmith Daniel Hannan is another one.

I have a strong distaste for the class war and reverse snobbery that is so prevalent in the UK - but Rory Stewart is a classic example of someone who mistakes his accent for ability, and confidence with competence. An absolute half wit.

@benphillips76 Is this really in the @nytimes?

Oh dear. The New York Times clever headline about NATO is entirely based on them getting its name wrong 😐 The A doesn’t stand for America, dudes.

@davidkurten Don't worry, at those prices, many cafés will be closing soon enough.

Is it just me, or does £7.50 for a coffee and a croissant in a cafe seem extortionate?

@MerrynSW @mwfowlie Why should we pay to read dumb articles?

@mwfowlie Read the column!

@MerrynSW What a very dumb comparison.

Western-style democracy was not invented or fully established in just four years. If a leader says they are working toward a system that better suits their country, the least we can do is give them the space and time to try. Every country should have the freedom to develop a system of governance that aligns with its unique context. China, for example, may not be where it is today had it strictly followed a Western democratic model. It's also worth noting that Western-style democracy has produced outcomes like Donald Trump, who we can all agree is a danger to our planet. Also, you don't think much of soldiers. Burkina Faso #BurkinaFaso Ibrahim Traore #IbrahimTraore mothcloud.com/african-countr…

The cognitive disorder where a soldier is delusional enough to think he is the only soul in Burkina Faso capable of stewarding sovereignty is exactly what is holding Africa back. If Ibrahim Traoré were a genuine leader willing to undertake the necessary reformation of Burkina Faso, he would have done so by now. He took power in 2022; how much more time does he need? He will die in power if no one stops his regime. This is the old, tired story of African dictators and military juntas. He should have architected systems that would outlive him, creating the electoral, economic, and governance institutions for his generation and the next to follow. The U.S. government follows a 250 year old roadmap established by its founders. Had George Washington refused to step down, or had Abraham Lincoln decided that only he could save the Union and abolished elections and political parties, there would be no American superpower today. Their greatness lay in their submission to a system larger than themselves. A dictator always dies and leaves behind a mess. A good leader, however, leaves behind systems that carry a nation forward in his absence. We cannot deny the impact of the IQ metric on the quality of governance and national systems. The African story is a repetitive cycle of men with weak cognitive capabilities making weak decisions. reuters.com/world/africa/f…

@jenzhuscott 🤦‍♂️ Don't tell, climate change?

Visible pollution? What’s the haze?

I ain't gonna to lie, I expected a lot more media offering from NASA and the Artemis II team, especially considering how far digital media technology has come. So far, this moon-looping mission feels surprisingly staged, almost reminiscent of how the original moon landing footage is often perceived. To be clear, I am not saying #ArtemisII #Artemis2 is fake.

@PiersUncensored @piersmorgan @channel5_tv The trip should definitely be cancelled. It will destroy Donald Trump - his ego won't be able to take it. @Keir_Starmer should do it. His national and international approval ratings would shoot sky high - straight pass #Artemis2 #ArtemisII.

Trump hurls insults at Britain - but King Charles' royal visit to the US will still go ahead. Should Charles DUMP Trump? Watch on Channel 5 at 11.05pm. 📺 channel5.com/piers-morgan-u… @piersmorgan | @channel5_tv