I have been hailing NASA’s achievement with respect to the Mars Curiosity landing. But while the scientific and engineering achievements of NASA are admirable, it is also an organization depending upon public support and thus not above pandering to what it perceives as public sentiment.
For example, when Apollo 8 was orbiting the moon in 1968, one of the astronauts started reading from the book of Genesis. This seemed like a spontaneous display of religious awe but via Jerry Coyne I learn that Richard Dawkins sets the record straight.
Last year, at the splendid STARMUS conference in Tenerife that brought together astronauts and scientists, I had many agreeable conversations with Bill Anders, astronaut who famously read from the first Chapter of the book of Genesis while orbiting the moon on Apollo 8 in 1968. Major General Anders, a gallant, intelligent and entertaining man, told me he has no respect for religion. He read the Bible in space only because he was told to by NASA.
It turns out that famous atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair had exposed this fraud soon after it occurred. She revealed that NASA had carefully planned this ‘spontaneous manifestation of religious awe’ for months and even had a code name of ‘Experiment P-1’ assigned to it. The feisty O’Hair sued NASA for the records but lost her case on the grounds that she lacked standing. But that did not stop her from skewering it.
Times have changed. I doubt that NASA would insert religion into its work in such an obvious way now. In fact, Neil Armstrong’s first words on stepping foot on the Moon in 1969 (“That’s one small step…”) was also scripted (though he blew his lines) and had no reference to god, although it would have been a good place to insert one. So maybe after the 1968 mission, there was some kind of internal revolt by the astronauts at being forced to do such blatant religious pandering.
I remember watching that on TV and wondering WTF! (had that expression been in vogue then). I didn’t have the hostility to religion then as I do now but I still thought it was inappropriate, even though it was near xmas. It also struck me as odd, in this middle of triumph of technology and science, a demonstration of humanity’s ability to climb beyond myth and superstition to hear all the old myths glorified.
I never heard that it was all scripted but it doesn’t surprise me. I just wonder what NASA will say if we find evidence of life or will they censor excitement about that so as not to offend the faithful with yet more evidence of how their worldview is wrong.
I doubt that NASA would insert religion into its work in such an obvious way now.
I would hope so, though if they continue to draw astronauts from the US Air Force Academy, the next time such an initiative could well come from the (heavily-evangelized) jet jockeys themselves.
One more small item to add to that sarcastic list of all the different ways in which Christians are persecuted in the USA. I assume it’s still somewhere out there. I’m not sure how to find it, though.
Someone in the control room at JPL did say “Holy Shit!” during the Curiosity landing. Is that religious?
Reading from Genesis always struck me as strange. Given that it was Christmas, there were other, more fitting, stories from the Bible
Great Post! I had learned about this episode during one TAM where they showed the Madalyn Murray O’Hair clip. I’m glad the Mars landing wasn’t tainted with superstitions… well, unless you are counting that peanut thingy: http://www.space.com/16927-mars-rover-landing-peanuts-tradition.html
Good evening articulett,
I was actually surprised at the list of superstitious actions taken and celebrated by the JPL crew.
We all know about the peanut tradition, but the guy with the Stars and Stripes mohawk? He does a different special hair style for each event. Others were clutching numerous good luck charms.
That is occurred didn’t surprise me. That NASA chose to celebrate the superstitions did.
Do all that you can to make today a good day,
Jeff
Good evening articulett,
I was actually surprised at the list of superstitious actions taken and celebrated by the JPL crew.
We all know about the peanut tradition, but the guy with the Stars and Stripes mohawk? He does a different special hair style for each event. Others were clutching numerous good luck charms.
That it occurred didn’t surprise me. That NASA chose to celebrate the superstitions did.
Do all that you can to make today a good day,
Jeff
I remember that flight and I recall the biblical reading as being quite jarring inasmuch as no mention of invisible supernatural spooks accompanied the building of the lunar hardware, the launch, the translunar injection, the coast phase, the lunar orbit insertion et cetera.
As a rabid follower of the space program since before its Sputnik infancy I had reveled in the ascension of technology and engineering prowess. It made me feel powerful by proxy and I thoroughly enjoyed the sensation. To hear the voices of those who were the chief proponents and beneficiaries of such magnificent capability grovel and mumble about ancient ritual obsession was so disappointing, so jarringly out of place, so weak and falsely humble.
I note with gratitude that such genuflection is refreshingly lacking from the space program and scientific accomplishment in general these days. It will be with continuing gratitude that this honest acknowledgement of the true source of human achievement will remain unsullied by reference to ancient superstition.
I think O’Hair’s lawsuit did have one immediate effect.
The Apollo 11 mission had intended to have an even more egregious display of religion. Buzz Aldrin had brought a consecrated Eucharist (undefiled by PZ Myers!) with him to the moon, with the intent of saying a prayer and consuming the Eucharist while on the moon.
He probably did eat it but NASA told him not to do it publicly over the airwaves.