That world looked very different from ours today. There were no smartphones, no social media, no electric cars \u2014 and \u201cspace tech\u201d back then ran on computers that would look laughably basic today.<\/p>\n
And yet, we made it to the Moon.<\/p>\n
So here\u2019s the real question: if we could do it in 1969, why is NASA sending astronauts back only now \u2014 with Artemis II<\/a>?<\/p>\n We\u2019ve all seen Interstellar. A future where humans leave Earth, travel deep into space, and search for new frontiers feels like pure science fiction.<\/p>\n But what if deep-space travel isn\u2019t fiction for much longer?<\/p>\n That\u2019s the vision behind Artemis II \u2014 NASA\u2019s mission that will send four astronauts around the Moon, marking humanity\u2019s first crewed journey beyond Earth orbit in over 50 years.<\/p>\n Before deep-space exploration and long-duration space travel can become a reality, the Moon is the ideal training ground from Earth. It\u2019s our only natural satellite \u2014 close enough to reach in days, yet far enough to simulate the conditions of deep space. Over decades, scientists have built a deep understanding of its environment, gravity, radiation exposure, distance, and orbital mechanics.<\/p>\n That makes the Moon the safest place to test the hardest parts of space travel \u2014 especially how the human body copes outside Earth\u2019s protective bubble. Unlike the International Space Station, which still orbits within Earth\u2019s magnetic field, lunar missions expose astronauts to real deep-space radiation, communication delays, and prolonged isolation.<\/p>\n In other words, if something goes wrong, astronauts can still return to Earth relatively quickly. But if everything goes right, the data collected becomes the blueprint for missions far beyond the Moon \u2014 including Mars.<\/p>\n That\u2019s exactly where Artemis II comes in. According to NASA, the mission is designed to be the first real test of whether humans, spacecraft, and mission systems are ready to operate together in deep space. The crew \u2014 Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen \u2014 will travel aboard the Orion spacecraft, launched by NASA\u2019s powerful Space Launch System, fly around the Moon, and return to Earth on a roughly 10-day journey.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no landing planned. Instead, the focus is on testing life-support systems, navigation, communication, radiation exposure, and emergency procedures \u2014 all with humans onboard, far beyond low-Earth orbit. It\u2019s a full dress rehearsal meant to uncover risks before they turn catastrophic.<\/p>\n Artemis II isn\u2019t about reaching somewhere new.<\/p>\n It\u2019s about proving that after more than half a century, humans can safely leave Earth \u2014 and come back \u2014 before we try to stay longer, go farther, and aim for places like Mars.<\/p>\n And as a quiet, honourable nod to history, the Artemis II crew isn\u2019t going alone. They\u2019ll be carrying keepsakes<\/a> from the Apollo era, a symbolic bridge between the astronauts who first took humanity beyond Earth orbit, and the ones now preparing to go farther than ever before. It\u2019s the astronaut\u2019s way of saying: We wouldn\u2019t be here without you.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a soundtrack to put you in the mood \ud83c\udfb5<\/p>\n Azadi<\/a> by Ditty<\/p>\n That\u2019s one recommendation from us. But keep your music recommendations coming. We\u2019d love to feature them in our Sunday editions, especially gems from underrated Indian artists many of us haven\u2019t discovered yet. Can\u2019t wait to hear them!<\/p>\n What caught our eye this week \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n How Qatar Airways almost lost Airbus<\/p>\n Imagine you buy a brand new Ferrari. A few months down the line, the paint starts peeling off. You would probably march back to the dealer and demand a refund or a fix, right? After all, the customer is king.\u00a0<\/p>\n Well, that\u2019s exactly what Qatar Airways thought when they noticed the paint cracking on their shiny new Airbus A350 jets. But instead of a quick fix, they ended up in one of the most brutal corporate wars in aviation history.\u00a0<\/p>\n Qatar Airways is a stickler for perfection. So, when they saw the paint degrading and exposing the lightning protection mesh on their A350s, they were furious. They claimed it was a massive safety risk. Airbus, on the other hand, shrugged. Alongside the European safety regulator, Airbus assured that it was just a cosmetic defect and the plane was otherwise safe.\u00a0<\/p>\n But Qatar Airways wasn\u2019t having it. They decided to play hardball and grounded 13 of their A350s while refusing to take delivery of new ones. Qatar Airways slapped Airbus with a lawsuit demanding $618 million<\/a> in compensation. They expected Airbus to fold, given Qatar Airways was one of the biggest spenders in the sky. But then, Airbus did the unthinkable.\u00a0<\/p>\n Usually, manufacturers often bow down to their biggest clients. Airbus wasn\u2019t going to be one of those. They realized in a duopoly (with the only other option being Boeing), they held more cards than people thought. So, the French aeroplane manufacturer retaliated with the \u2018nuclear option.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n Airbus countersued Qatar Airways and cancelled the outstanding order for 19 A350s. And the kicker? They invoked a \u201ccross-default\u201d clause to cancel a completely separate order for 50 A321 Neo jets<\/a>. This was a disaster for Qatar Airways. The A321s were crucial for their future expansion but suddenly, there were no planes coming.\u00a0<\/p>\n The timing of this couldn\u2019t have been worse. The 2022 FIFA World Cup was right around the corner and Qatar Airways was the host airline. They desperately needed capacity. But with their A350s grounded and their new orders cancelled, they were struck. In this case, they had to scramble.\u00a0<\/p>\n Qatar Airways went knocking on Boeing\u2019s door for 737 MAXs. Even worse, they had to bring their retired A330s and A380<\/a> superjumbos back from the dead. This was humiliating because the CEO, Akbar Al BAker, had previously vowed never to fly the gas-guzzling A380s ever again. Now, they were spending millions just to get them airworthy.\u00a0<\/p>\n So, how did this story end?\u00a0<\/p>\n The courts sided with Airbus and it became clear that Qatar Airways had overplayed its hand. In early 2023, the two giants reached for a settlement<\/a>. While the details are secret, the outcome was clear – Qatar Airways got their orders reinstated but they lost their place in line. Instead of getting planes now, they\u2019re facing massive delays. And shortly after, the airline\u2019s outspoken CEO stepped down.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the world of aviation, the customer is always right\u2026unless the seller is part of a duopoly and you have nowhere else to go.<\/p>\n Infographic \ud83d\udcca<\/p>\n Readers Recommend \ud83d\uddd2\ufe0f<\/p>\n This week, our reader Rishav Jain recommends watching The Game Changers<\/a>, a BBC documentary about the rise of Rockstar Games and how Grand Theft Auto went from a controversial experiment to one of the most influential video game franchises ever.<\/p>\n Thanks for the recommendation, Rishav!<\/p>\n That\u2019s it from us this week. We\u2019ll see you next Sunday!<\/p>\n Until then, send us your book, music, business movies, documentaries or podcast recommendations. We\u2019ll feature them in the newsletter! Also, don\u2019t forget to tell us what you thought of today’s edition. Just hit reply to this email (or if you\u2019re reading this on the web, drop us a message at\u00a0morning@finshots.in<\/a>).<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd96\ud83c\udffd<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to share this edition on\u00a0WhatsApp<\/a>,\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0X<\/a>.<\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Deepinder-Goyal-Infographic-2026-Final.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n