We reached the Moon — so why did we stop dreaming?

DUBAI 23°CGOLD/FOREXPRAYER TIMESNEWSLETTERSLOGIN GOLD/FOREXDUBAI 23°CPRAYER TIMES OPINIONOPINIONCOLUMNISTS We reached the Moon — so why did we stop dreaming?Artemis missions could reignite humanity’s shared purpose It has been more than 50 years since millions of people huddled around black and white TVs to witness Neil Armstrong take ‘one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’. Those lunar astronauts had never opened a laptop, they hadn’t logged on to the worldwide web and they definitely didn’t know a thing about AI. Let’s not even start on the size of my boys’ TVs. The computer used inside the Columbia spaceship that propelled the adventurers to the Moon was the size of a suitcase. The mobile phone in your pocket is said to be a million times more powerful. The achievements of that Apollo 11 mission in 1969, with what now seems like rudimentary technology, is phenomenal. The bravery to do something so bold is unquestionable. It really was the first giant leap for mankind in what many thought was the start of an incredible space journey. So why, despite incredible technological advancements, has no-one been back? Why did we as a species lose interest with the excitement and adventure of space travel?  The Nasa Apollo program is said to have cost about $25 billion in the 1960s (more than $150 billion today). That’s a lot of money to stick a flag in the ground. It was largely driven by one main goal: to beat the Soviet Union in claiming the grey, dusty surface. Once that Cold War mission was achieved, the momentum died away. Excitingly, now Artemis II is hurtling towards the Moon with a crew set to witness its far side, but without stepping foot on its surface this time. Space travel is back and I for one could not be more thrilled about it. If the crew does pass safely around on this trip, Nasa's goal is for Artemis IV and V to become lunar landing missions, with both slated for 2028. It’s a joint venture with the USA, Canada and Europe contributing. China is also looking at similar missions, which may be creating a similar race as the 1960s - competition always drives people forwards. This time, however, the prize may be bigger with plans discussed for a ‘Moon base’ that could act as a stop off point for further missions. At a time when the World seems to be fracturing, missions like this can give us hope for the future of mankind away from a planet beset by climate change and conflict. I’m not old enough (honestly) to have watched the Moon landing live, but I grew up with Star Trek, Star Wars and countless other fantasy films and shows based on the infinite opportunities and mysteries of space. Yet my generation has never had the excitement of a lunar landing. The night sky has felt more like a tapestry for entertainment studios to draw up new ideas rather than for scientists and engineers to dream of greater things for the human race. These missions will hopefully inspire us all again. It’s a powerful reminder of the incredible things we are capable of when we work together and to a clear goal. I also can’t help but think of the money wasted around the world during the last several decades on negative actions that push us forwards rather than back. We have the brains and the materials to build just about anything we wish on this Earth, but we often fail to find a common will. Efforts often end up going into weapons of destruction and defence rather than tools of exploration and advancement. The current conflict is a perfect example: Human-life wiped out, billions spent, time wasted on defence rather than development, incredible structures damaged… These moments push us all backwards and away from a more prosperous future for us all. Geopolitics is incredibly complicated and we all get lost in our own ‘worlds’, surrounded by barriers and structures that make us seem different to our fellow citizens of Earth. However, we all share this same crust and we all look up to the same sky with the same stars. We always will have more in common than we have differences. We’ll be monitoring the mission closely at Gulf News and we can’t wait to see footage coming back to Earth. When those images land of the far side of the moon with the green and blue sphere we call home in the far distance, we’ll be reminded of how small and fragile we truly are. Maybe then we can truly begin to dream of bigger things together once again. Look: Artemis II astronauts launch for Moon flyby How Artemis II astronauts could rewrite Earth’s history Apollo vs. Artemis: What to know about return to moon NASA’s return to the Moon begins on April 1