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ARTEMIS II HEADS FOR THE MOON: THE SPACE RACE IN WARTIME
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Admiration for the feat and contrast with US institutional chaos
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
Dawn and Geo News cover Artemis with undisguised admiration. 'Breathtaking,' Dawn headlines -- a rare word of emotion for a normally sober newspaper. Geo News insists on the 'record-breaking journey,' the record distance the astronauts will reach. Pakistan, which launched its first satellite in 1990 (Badr-1) but whose space program (SUPARCO) has stagnated for decades, watches Artemis as a reminder of what it could be. There's a striking contrast with Pakistani coverage of General George's firing (same paper, same day): when Dawn writes about the Pentagon it's 'shake-up,' when it writes about Artemis it's 'breathtaking.' America as seen from Islamabad is a schizophrenic power -- capable of the most sublime feat and the most alarming institutional chaos on the same day. No link is made to the Iran war, as if space were a narrative refuge where America becomes admirable again.
Undisguised admiration for American technological achievement
Compartmentalization: space as a narrative refuge where America remains admirable
Latent frustration with a dormant national space program
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