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This is a matter of perspective. The mission is what you call it. Sure, it’s not a “rescue”, it’s just an “unplanned itinerary change to another vessel”. Also

This is a matter of perspective. The mission is what you call it. Sure, it’s not a “rescue”, it’s just an “unplanned itinerary change to another vessel”. Also, they’re not “marooned”, they’re “getting an extended work opportunity”.

dotnet00 2y ago
"Rescue" conveys a much more negative situation than "unplanned itinerary change where the astronauts are safe and which they are happy about because they get to spend more time in space".
- natch 2y ago
  Bone deterioration equating to decades in a matter of months, heart health impact, time away from family... it's negative.
  - LightBug1 2y ago
    I bet if you asked each of them if they could extend such a unique experience - one they're unlikely to experience again - would they say yes? IN. A. FCKING. HEARTBEAT. The postive's overwhelm the negatives by an infinite amount.
    - natch 2y ago
      You might be right, only they can say. I just don't take their statements in a press conference at face value, but yeah there is that silver lining.
tw04 2y ago
So if you ride a ferry on a regular basis (which I'm sure at least a handful of HN folks do) - if that ferry breaks down before the return trip, when you catch the next ferry is that a "rescue mission", or are you just catching the next ferry? Replace ferry with bus, car, taxi, airplane, your transportation mode of choice. Calling this a rescue is, to OPs point, just dramatizing the situation for clicks. In pretty much any other circumstance, it wouldn't even make the news.
- macinjosh 2y ago
  You are leaving out the tiny detail that compared to a ferry there are very limited opportunities to catch the next ferry. If a ferry breaks down you aren’t stuck in the island for 8 months. You could charter a boat, get a helicopter, go for a swim. Significant unexpected planning and spending have to go into getting them a different ride home. It’s closer to your car breaking down in a remote area. Would a tow truck be a rescue? I would think so.
  - Loughla 2y ago
    It's similar to your car breaking down in a remote area only if you've trained extensively for that area (almost your entire life), have food and supplies for the entire duration, have friends and entertainment, and can do your job as well as novel career options the entire time as well. It's overly dramatic to call it a rescue mission. It just is. It's not great that they're up there longer than planned, but they're not going to explode or fly off into space.
- teruakohatu 2y ago
  I agree that calling it a rescue is a bit much, but this is hardly a case of missing a bus or ferry and catching the next one. If you missed a ferry, expecting to be away from your family for a week, only to find you are stuck on a desolate island for 8+ months you would probably feel like you were being rescued.
  - jwagenet 2y ago
    My understanding is the astronauts don’t mind staying longer because they enjoy it and for some (all?) it may be their last mission in space, in part due to the decommissioning.
    - blackoil 2y ago
      And most people like visiting islands. That doesn't change the fact that this was supposed to be 8 days not 8 months.

dotnet00 2y ago

"Rescue" conveys a much more negative situation than "unplanned itinerary change where the astronauts are safe and which they are happy about because they get to spend more time in space".

natch 2y ago
Bone deterioration equating to decades in a matter of months, heart health impact, time away from family... it's negative.
- LightBug1 2y ago
  I bet if you asked each of them if they could extend such a unique experience - one they're unlikely to experience again - would they say yes? IN. A. FCKING. HEARTBEAT. The postive's overwhelm the negatives by an infinite amount.
  - natch 2y ago
    You might be right, only they can say. I just don't take their statements in a press conference at face value, but yeah there is that silver lining.

tw04 2y ago

So if you ride a ferry on a regular basis (which I'm sure at least a handful of HN folks do) - if that ferry breaks down before the return trip, when you catch the next ferry is that a "rescue mission", or are you just catching the next ferry? Replace ferry with bus, car, taxi, airplane, your transportation mode of choice. Calling this a rescue is, to OPs point, just dramatizing the situation for clicks. In pretty much any other circumstance, it wouldn't even make the news.

macinjosh 2y ago
You are leaving out the tiny detail that compared to a ferry there are very limited opportunities to catch the next ferry. If a ferry breaks down you aren’t stuck in the island for 8 months. You could charter a boat, get a helicopter, go for a swim. Significant unexpected planning and spending have to go into getting them a different ride home. It’s closer to your car breaking down in a remote area. Would a tow truck be a rescue? I would think so.
- Loughla 2y ago
  It's similar to your car breaking down in a remote area only if you've trained extensively for that area (almost your entire life), have food and supplies for the entire duration, have friends and entertainment, and can do your job as well as novel career options the entire time as well. It's overly dramatic to call it a rescue mission. It just is. It's not great that they're up there longer than planned, but they're not going to explode or fly off into space.
teruakohatu 2y ago
I agree that calling it a rescue is a bit much, but this is hardly a case of missing a bus or ferry and catching the next one. If you missed a ferry, expecting to be away from your family for a week, only to find you are stuck on a desolate island for 8+ months you would probably feel like you were being rescued.
- jwagenet 2y ago
  My understanding is the astronauts don’t mind staying longer because they enjoy it and for some (all?) it may be their last mission in space, in part due to the decommissioning.
  - blackoil 2y ago
    And most people like visiting islands. That doesn't change the fact that this was supposed to be 8 days not 8 months.