For All Mankind (AH Tv series at Apple TV)
- Thread starter Michel Van
- Start date
Maybe because the Mars mission is so far the most disastrous one? I mean the worst thing that happened on the Moon was a matter of politics and human behaviour, not technological problems (Jamestown incident). Yes, there were now and then mishaps and failures, but they were dealt with and losses... well, they were not so big and spread over time. After eliminating political problems both US and Soviet space programs work just fine and bring prestige and profits, especially with Helium-3.
The string of failures in Mars mission is actually something new, I do not think there was such a long series of mishaps in one mission. And again, the worst ones were not the problem of technology, but humans. Soviet engins worked well enough until the cosmonauts knowingly overloaded them; the water pomp on Mars worked and its compensators might very well be enough to avoid the catastrophe until certain junkie astronaut refused to turn them on (although no one but him knows it). Sojourner was grounded because its crew knowingly landed it in bad conditions to win the race.
The closing of the US or Soviet space program is out of the question, and not only for political reasons. The losses are still manageble (so far) and the Mars mission was since the beginning considered the most risky one. The bases on Moon bring Helium-3 which solves energy problems on Earth. Space progam give new technologies. And some failures and losses will not stop the conquest of space. I mean many people died in early train disasters, and yet in few decades trains changed the world. Just like space program.
Warum denn nicht? From what I know it was canceled because the Cold War ended.
People like to say "Oh the G11 wasn't adopted because Germany had to pay for Reunification with the East" or some other similar reason. The reality is that the G11 was never going to be adopted for the simple reason that NATO wasn't interested in it, and the entire point of it was as the ultimate development of a series of projects from NATO in the 60's/70's to try and maximize the number of hits on target achievable by the average rifleman.
It is a fascinating test bed of technology and development, but the G11 is like a concept car that was actually built and ran. Cool to look at and wonder "what if" but never going to be the production model or what the average consumer would want. The combination of the CFE and the sudden glut of AK pattern rifles with unification are what killed it dead, but it was already on life support to start with.
I don't understand the comments that say "the Soviets" are being portrayed as assholes and then pointing to the actions of one particular asshole on Mars. The mission commander probably has orders to be an asshole in the form of, "be the first one out that door or we might just lengthen your post-mission debrief by 4-6 months." It's true that first impressions last a lifetime, and this was ours of the mission commander. But since then, we've seen some nuance from him. The toasting game. His fairly utopian conversation with Ed about the future of Mars.
All the other Soviets on Mars have collectively evinced zero assholery.
In terms of the Soviets frisking Americans as they enter Star City- a closed city- of course they would. They certainly frisked the cosmonauts as well.
All the other Soviets on Mars have collectively evinced zero assholery.
In terms of the Soviets frisking Americans as they enter Star City- a closed city- of course they would. They certainly frisked the cosmonauts as well.
I seriously think part of this is because of how the Soviets have been portrayed as "The Other".
We never see inside their space ships, their command center, their space program, we just see them as an "alien" (no pun intended) force, and in the moments where that curtain is lifted, and we see them for who they are, we see fundamentally the same people as are on the other space missions.
Would Ed be acting any different if he was having to command a NASA mission that suddenly had to rely on the Soviets for everything, and that he needed to keep secrets from?
What is the new head of the Soviet Space Agency but a Soviet Margot?
It's some of the better aspect of writing in the show IMO, whether by accident or action, the Soviets appear Alien until you stop and think and realize that we are supposed to think they are.
Thinking about the level of catastrophe in the show and trying to get a handle on the bigger picture. The strategy of the show is to engineer crises to justify big changes. The ultimate goal is a robust, self-sustaining space program that works for all mankind.
We started by finding changes that would heighten competition as an expedient factor to pump resources into an otherwise non-sustainable space program.
Season 2 gave us the high-tide mark for zero-sum competition, showed us its fatal flaw, but didn't exactly set up a scenario where competition is replaced by the commodity that is needed to truly achieve the "for all mankind" goal: cooperation.
Season 3 gives us a situation that is quite definitely hand-tailored to show the entire world not just the necessity of cooperation, but indeed that lack of it going forward is going to be fatal. My prediction is that by the end of the season, we either see the beginnings of a united space sector, or we see the seeds of a space culture ready to combine in opposition to corporate and national directives.
We started by finding changes that would heighten competition as an expedient factor to pump resources into an otherwise non-sustainable space program.
Season 2 gave us the high-tide mark for zero-sum competition, showed us its fatal flaw, but didn't exactly set up a scenario where competition is replaced by the commodity that is needed to truly achieve the "for all mankind" goal: cooperation.
Season 3 gives us a situation that is quite definitely hand-tailored to show the entire world not just the necessity of cooperation, but indeed that lack of it going forward is going to be fatal. My prediction is that by the end of the season, we either see the beginnings of a united space sector, or we see the seeds of a space culture ready to combine in opposition to corporate and national directives.
They were detected which is why the crew was there. It's just obvious that nobody knew what they sent. But... what the hell were they using for Deep Space Communications? I guess the North Koreans encrypted their telemetry and comms and they are known for being secretive so nobody batted an eye. Also a bit of a stretch considering the consumable issue. Definitely a Pilgrim-style one-way trip tho.
OK, I honestly do not understand the Korean(s) on Mars. Theoretically a one-way mission might be possible. Extremely unlikely, but possible. The thing is, what would be the purpose? The main point of the Mars mission is propaganda, bragging rights and eventually establishing a beachhead for a colony there; and science, of course. But a one way mission with 1-2 cosmonauts with no way back will not be able to do much to prepare for colony (and again, what is the purpose of the colony you can not come back from? A space gulag?). The Koreans keep their unquestionable success in secret, so no prestige gained. I doubt any of the Kim dynasty is so keen on scientific discoveries. So what are they doing on Mars?
BTW, was the boot of an astronaut/cosmonaut on Mars at the end of Season2 actually Korean? Were they actually first?
The space exploration is actually in danger of being limited to the Moon, at least for some time. More for political reasons than technological. Ellen coming out, with her previous total support for space program, is a shot in the back of the space exploration. If someone is dicredited (and for many she is) everything she/he supported get a beating too, regardless if it is right or no. OTOH, the Korean(s) on Mars might actually be a way to save it. "If we pull back, the others will go forward and then we might not be able to catch up with them. If a poor and not technologically advanced country like North Korea could do it, imagine what USSR, China or even EU might achieve. And we will be left behind."
BTW, was the boot of an astronaut/cosmonaut on Mars at the end of Season2 actually Korean? Were they actually first?
The space exploration is actually in danger of being limited to the Moon, at least for some time. More for political reasons than technological. Ellen coming out, with her previous total support for space program, is a shot in the back of the space exploration. If someone is dicredited (and for many she is) everything she/he supported get a beating too, regardless if it is right or no. OTOH, the Korean(s) on Mars might actually be a way to save it. "If we pull back, the others will go forward and then we might not be able to catch up with them. If a poor and not technologically advanced country like North Korea could do it, imagine what USSR, China or even EU might achieve. And we will be left behind."
AFAIK it is not the final episode. There is still one. The seaon 3 is supposed to have 10 episodes.
And if at the end Ed Baldwin wakes up in his bed home and realizes it was all a dream... I will be very annoyed.