• Pommes_für_dein_Balg@feddit.org
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        5 days ago

        The previous moon missions all went into orbit around the moon (except for Apollo 13). This one only does a free return trajectory without completing a full moon orbit.
        Which means it loops around at greater distance and will be further away from the moon and from earth than previous manned moon missions.

        So they’re doing less than before and making it sound like it’s a new milestone.

        • NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          So I didn’t know that, but I looked it up and its 3.8cm a year.

          The moon isn’t always the exact same distance from earth either, so that extra distance is pretty negligible compared to where it was on any given previous mission, that his statement isn’t necessarily true.

      • Azzu@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        5 days ago

        Yes, they do around a 4500km height flyby at the back side of the moon, Apollo I think did below 1000km at the highest, so like 3500km farther away (+ moon orbit perturbations).

        • NotANumber@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          5 days ago

          Before this mission the furthest humans have been was Apollo 13 which essentially did a flyby like this one. This one will do a similar manoeuvre but slightly further away from earth.

    • Gates9@sh.itjust.works
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      5 days ago

      Yeah but you can see the obvious absurdity in stating it. Hope they don’t get fried by the intense solar weather or smashed by one of these fireballs from the apparent debris field we’re traveling through.

      • HuudaHarkiten@piefed.social
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        5 days ago

        It wasn’t just trump saying it. They repeated it many times in the NASA stream before the launch. Regarding moonlanding deniers, they are just gonna misunderstand it on purpose and say “see! They never went to the moon with Apollo! Why would they be saying they have never went so far before!” etc. They are already doing it… >_>

      • quips@slrpnk.net
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        5 days ago

        Its really not absurd at all. Its the truth and a historic milestone.

        And you shouldn’t speak on topics you’re on uninformed about.

        • Gates9@sh.itjust.works
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          5 days ago

          You don’t think it sounds funny to say “We’re going to the moon! A distance nobody has ever gone before!”?