NASA dared to suggest people were unlikely to visit Jupiter any time soon and the extraordinary Twitter pile-on was out of this world
Spare a thought for whoever it was at NASA who had the temerity on Twitter to suggest people were unlikely to visit Jupiter any time soon.
Is visiting Jupiter on your bucket list? Let’s face facts, it’s not going to happen. But have we got the next best thing for you! #SendYourName aboard @EuropaClipper when this intrepid spacecraft launches to study Jupiter’s icy moon in '24.
Sign up today: https://t.co/tyDDEvIszk pic.twitter.com/NV5s2BWKOL— NASA 360 (@NASA360) October 28, 2023
Because it prompted a Twitter pile-on from people accusing the space agency of a lack of ambition and it’s quite the read.
NASA really out here telling kids to stop dreaming and instead engrave their name on a tiny plate.
There are so many better ways to have worded this.
— Nathan Commissariat (@CommiNathan) October 29, 2023
NASA used to inspire people. Now they are so weighed down with cost overruns and bureaucracy that their achievements seem to become less ambitious each year.
Thank god we have SpaceX. It’s depressing thinking about where our space program would be without them.
— Austin Cooper (@AustinCooper90) October 29, 2023
"Let’s face facts, it’s not going to happen."… saying it won't happen is way too dismissive of the possibilities of human progress and a determination to explore.
Give us time, @NASA360 – maybe we get there by the 2050s or 2060s… Don't ever say 'NEVER'…
— Dr. Malcolm Davis (@Dr_M_Davis) October 29, 2023
Defeatist attitude I didn't expect NASA to have
— Ryan (@Ryanth3nerd) October 29, 2023
That's pretty lame, why can't we?
— Kinder (@KinderDev) October 29, 2023
this is unamerican
— (@sbinslashessend) October 29, 2023
So much so that NASA felt compelled to later follow it up with this.
Hey, folks—we goofed up. We want to be clear: we’re always reaching for the stars (and planets and moons), and we want what we do to inspire you to do the same. Never stop dreaming! pic.twitter.com/NLHlKbYzkV
— NASA 360 (@NASA360) October 30, 2023
Yeah, but people are still not going to be visiting Jupiter any time soon.
Y’all actually bullied them into making an official apology lmao https://t.co/IqVUgzFrS3
— Kerble ️⚧️ (@kerblespacepgrm) October 30, 2023
>Be NASA intern
>Boss tells you we're never sending someone to Jupiter
>Get sad
>Try and perk up by looking at the bright side of the Europa Clipper mission
>Twitter randos blow up your post for being too pessimistic
>Rediscover faith in humanity to dream big https://t.co/KaM48Smdaz— Rare North American Space Koala (@culpable_mink) October 30, 2023
…and I thought to myself, how could an official government page be bullied into making an apology by a Twitter community that can’t number more than 30 people? https://t.co/mqgcsoCQt9 pic.twitter.com/v3SiU6ELGt
— Harry Kerr (@KerrHarry73175) October 30, 2023
Some random nasa intern got fired because of y’all https://t.co/mlHx4nbDBJ
— Space Launch Vulture (@slvulture) October 30, 2023
We’re with @JimMFelton.
Give me the confidence of a blue tick explaining to NASA that with enough determination we will one day land on gas pic.twitter.com/ZOSq7X7O4X
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) October 31, 2023
And these people.
most people would be instantly melted, crushed, and burnt to a crisp if attempting a landing on jupiter but i'm just built different
— Chris Boyd (@paperghost) October 31, 2023
NASA just needs to make a mood board and believe in itself, banish that negative self talk.
— Polianna (@PoliPessimist) October 31, 2023
You just need to believe harder.
If in doubt, please send £60 to Positive Dude, PO Box 61801
— Hughes-on-the-Wold (@NotThatHughes) October 31, 2023
Nice analogy for Brexit and how some pluck could overcome barriers.
— Gareth Dean (@GarethDeanPR) October 31, 2023
H/T @JimMFelton