## 37 I was on the Moon

Yes I was...quite on the moon last week. And it was even with Tom Hanks in the crew. Ok, not really.

From September until the end of the year, the 'Atelier des Lumières' in Paris is hosting an exhibition promoted by... Tom Hanks, who still hasn't recovered from Apollo 13! The 'Atelier des Lumières' is an immersive exhibition space for art and science. It's a kind of large hangar with a mezzanine and projectors on both the walls and floor. It was the perfect setting for this American exhibition, which has been Frenchified with the voice of Tom Hanks' official dubbing artist. So here we are, ready to relive that moment in history in 1969 and prepare ourselves for the possibility of seeing a woman walk on the moon again in the Artemis 2 project (Apollo's sister...).

It begins with one of JFK's speeches, of course, although there is also some mention of the Russian space pioneers. The focus is not on the Cold War but on human cooperation face to a challenge that was previously considered impossible. There is little mention of the unsuccessful attempts or the deaths that occurred before the successful launch, because the aim is to relive that moment in history with powerful sound and visual effects. So we hear the thunderous noise of the rocket taking off, with bass vibrations providing the special effects. We see the melting nozzles, the launch pad and the command centre on multiple screens. There it goes...! A true flying bomb, in fact, carrying this tiny capsule housing three humans.

And then the capsule is launched into space. The control centre corrects the trajectory with the crew for the four-day journey to lunar orbit. Tom Hanks also shares his personal memories. We also hear interviews with the future passengers of Artemis II. But now we see the moon landing phase, leaving one crew member in orbit. Once again, we see all the films from in broadcast quality  of 1969 and the incredible photos taken upon arrival on the moon. Different gravity, no dust and so an unreal clarity. We relive the messages from the command centre and these pioneers. Then other missions follow, until Apollo 17, which will be the last in 1972. We see portraits of these men all around us, their reactions, the joy of the world in 1969 and all the broadcasts. Tom Hanks also talks about those who lost their lives, including the Russians (at least those we know about...).

The 50 minutes of this experience, like a kind of high-octane TV report, end with the return to earth, the splashdown, but that's not the main point. During this immersion, there were a few projections on the floor to make us feel a bit like we were on the moon, but ultimately not very often. We talk about the men and women who participated (not necessarily the black women who did the calculations, mind you...) in this joint success. However, the discourse is clearly about the human capacity to surpass oneself when we pool our knowledge. So there are no references to SpaceX, NASA or ESA, just an international project aimed at discovering a little of our history as explained by rocks and other samples. In a way, we are a little bit like moon dwellers. You'll understand what I mean if you look at the moon stones composition and origins.

There is a small photo exhibition on the mezzanine, and that's all about it. A little disappointing for those who are passionate about space, perhaps too complex for younger visitors, but a good time for €18. The moon still inspires dreams, but Mars inspires me a little less, especially with what some megalomaniac billionaires want to do with it. Would I relive this moment with this new project? Would it have the same effect on me as the first time? I don't think so, but it would still be emotional... as it was at certain moments during this screening...In the shop, some books of Jules Verne and a dry-freezed Ice Cream (it's really good if you like american ice cream...). Another way to become a kid one more time.

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