Space Science Is Earth Science

“I’m working on a piece critiquing the emerging anti-space left while also critiquing the privatization of space—basically the Neil Armstrong argument.

But I want to steelman my opponents’ positions, so give me your best examples of left opposition to space, and…

…the best cases for the commercial space sector over NASA, ESA, et al.

I should add, back in 2012, my very first piece for Jacobin magazine, ‘Put Whitey Back on the Moon’, was a defence of space exploration in the face of left anti-space critiques. But 12 years later, many things have changed, and the argument needs updating.

https://jacobin.com/2012/09/back-on-the-moon

@SanhoTree: It’s basically Gil Scott Heron vs Landsat. I support both.

On Landsat, exactly: space science is earth science. We wouldn’t know anywhere near what we do about environmental challenges, from climate to pollution, without NASA, and Landsat especially”