TWiS 162: Lunar Landing Day - When the Future Arrived - podcast episode cover

TWiS 162: Lunar Landing Day - When the Future Arrived

This Week in Space (Audio)
May 23, 2025•52 min•Ep. 162
--:--
--:--
Listen in podcast apps:
Metacast
Spotify
Youtube
RSS

Episode description

If you're lucky enough to have witnessed the landing of Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969, you know what a momentous occasion that was. If you're younger than a Boomer, you've read and heard about that amazing day, but it might not have the impact it did for those who witnessed it. Bob Slater, M.D., is out to change that with his campaign to make July 20 a national holiday called "Lunar Landing Day," and we think it's a fine idea--and so do the moonwalkers, Mission Control folks, and lots of others. It'll be good for STEM, good for national pride, and just good all around. Join us to learn more and about how you can help make this great idea a reality!



Headlines

  • Next Starship Launch Scheduled: SpaceX aims for its third Starship launch of the year, Flight 9, no earlier than May 27th, 7:30 PM Eastern. This follows previous failures, with hopes for a successful mission.
  • SpaceX Flight 9 Gets FAA Approval, with Caveats: The FAA approved Starship Flight 9 after SpaceX's Flight 8 failure assessment. A changed trajectory was requested for safety. The goal is to recreate earlier trajectories for a soft landing in the Indian Ocean and will be the first full reflight of the Super Heavy booster.
  • China's Experimental Fuel Dump: Chinese company Landscape launched a methane-fueled rocket that performed an experimental fuel dump at 155 miles, creating a visible ribbon of reflective crystals. Discussion arose on its necessity, accidental nature, or deliberate intent, and its resemblance to 1950s US/Russian plans to nuke the moon as a political statement.
  • "Golden Dome" Missile Defense Initiative: The Trump administration announced a $175 billion "Golden Dome" missile defense shield, similar to Israel's Iron Dome, to intercept orbital threats. U.S. Space Force General Michael Gutzlian will oversee the three-year development.
  • AI Processing Center in Abu Dhabi: OpenAI plans a new AI processing center in Abu Dhabi, requiring immense power (equivalent to five nuclear plants), raising concerns about AI's resource consumption.
  • "Rocket on a Rocket": Blue Origin's NS-32 private space flight will include investor Mark Rocket, CEO of Kai Aerospace and seed investor in Rocket Lab, among its six passengers: a Panamanian businessman, a radiologist and space camp alumni, an entrepreneur and real estate developer, a middle school STEM teacher, and a Canadian entrepreneur and adventurer.
  • From the wacky Weekly World News: Are eight U.S. senators actually aliens in disguise? (Just a gag!)

Main Topic - The Landing Day Initiative

  • Dr. Robert Slater, M.D., joins the podcast to discuss his Lunar Landing Day Initiative.
  • Dr. Slater's Path to Space Passion: Slater's passion for space began at age six, watching the moon landing, an event his parents stressed as historical.
  • The Lunar Landing Day Initiative: Inspired by the lack of public recall about July 20, 1969, Slater started the initiative to celebrate the moon landing as a unifying, historic American achievement.
  • Lunar Landing Day Initiative Federal Holiday Goal: The ultimate goal is to make July 20th a federal holiday with a paid day off for federal employees, encouraging states and companies to follow.
  • Historical Significance: Dr. Slater emphasizes the moon landing's historical context as a Cold War

These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space/episodes/162

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Dr. Robert Slater

Transcript

Primary Navigation Podcasts Club Blog Subscribe Sponsors More… Tech Lunar Landing Day: The Movement to Make July 20th a Federal Holiday

May 28th 2025

AI-generated, human-edited.

The moon landing on July 20, 1969, was a monumental achievement for humanity, a triumph of technology, and a unifying moment in American history. Yet, as highlighted in a recent episode of This Week in Space, this incredible feat often goes unremembered by many, even those with a passion for space. Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik sat down with Dr. Robert Slater, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and the driving force behind the Lunar Landing Day Initiative, to discuss his quest to make July 20th a federal holiday.

Dr. Slater's inspiration for the initiative stemmed from a simple, yet disheartening, observation: his own staff couldn't recall the significance of July 20th, 1969. This realization sparked a profound concern that one of humanity's greatest accomplishments was fading from public memory. He believes we "ought to celebrate that every year," particularly in an age where positive news is sorely needed.

The hosts, both deeply ingrained in the space community, echoed Dr. Slater's sentiment. Rod Pyle, who was 11 at the time of the landing, shared his own vivid memories of realizing the immense turning point it represented. The sheer audacity and technological marvel of the Apollo program, developed with 1950s technology, still boggles the mind by today's standards. As Dr. Slater pointed out, the computing power of a modern wristwatch far exceeds that of the entire Apollo spacecraft.

Dr. Slater's ambition is clear: Lunar Landing Day should be a new federal holiday, a paid day off for federal employees, similar to Juneteenth Day or the Fourth of July. He distinguishes his initiative from existing "National Moon Day" or "International Moon Day" resolutions, arguing that those are merely polite acknowledgements, while a federal holiday would truly honor the accomplishment.

Beyond mere celebration, Dr. Slater sees Lunar Landing Day as a crucial opportunity to "celebrate the past, promote the future". He stressed the importance of promoting STEM education, especially given alarming national literacy rates compared to global competitors. A holiday, complete with fireworks and parades, could be a powerful stimulus for the next generation, inspiring them to pursue careers in engineering, medicine, and space exploration.

The initiative has already garnered significant support from the space community. Moonwalkers like Buzz Aldrin, Charlie Duke, Fred Haise, and Jack Schmitt (who believes it should be an international holiday) are on board. NASA flight directors Gene Kranz and Jerry Griffin have also publicly expressed their support.

Dr. Slater highlighted that the moon landing was a collective effort, involving "410,000 people in all 50 states". It wasn't just about the astronauts, but about "everybody – the seamstresses that sewed the suits, the bus drivers that got everybody to work on time". This emphasis on collective achievement could help combat moon landing deniers and re-engage the public with the truth and excitement of space exploration.

Want to learn more and lend your support?

Dr. Slater urges listeners to visit LunarLandingDay.net to sign the petition. He also encourages contacting members of Congress, governors, and local representatives to advocate for the bill. For those with skills in PR and website design, Dr. Slater is actively seeking hands-on help to further the initiative.

Listen to the full This Week in Space episode to hear more engaging discussions on space news, including the latest Starship launch and the "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative!

Share: Copied! This Week in Space #162
May 23 2025 - Lunar Landing Day
When the Future Arrived All Tech posts Contact Advertise CC License Privacy Policy Ad Choices TOS Store Twitter Facebook Instgram YouTube Yes, like every site on the Internet, this site uses cookies. So now you know. Learn more Hide Home Schedule Subscribe Club TWiT About Club TWiT FAQ Access Account Members-Only Podcasts Update Payment Method Connect to Discord TWiT Blog Recent Posts Advertise Sponsors Store People About What is TWiT.tv Tickets Developer Program and API Tip jar Partners Contact Us
Transcript source: Provided by creator in RSS feed: download file
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android
Open in Metacast