As NASA prepares for the Artemis II mission, it represents humanity’s first journey back toward the moon in more than five decades. The last time astronauts ventured to lunar territory was in 1972, a year that also witnessed some memorable cultural milestones.
That pivotal year in space exploration coincided with David Bowie introducing his iconic Ziggy Stardust character and releasing “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.” Movie theaters were showcasing “The Godfather” for the first time, while McDonald’s was launching its now-famous Egg McMuffin breakfast sandwich.
The lengthy gap between moon missions highlights just how much time has passed since humans last explored beyond Earth’s orbit, with an entire generation growing up during this absence from lunar exploration.
