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Artemis II and the Case for Reinvesting in Public Ambition on Earth

Artemis II shows what happens when we treat public projects like moonshots. Now we need that same ambition for our libraries, streets and everyday civic life.

Right now, we’re watching a rare thing unfold in real time: a truly public moonshot. NASA’s Artemis II program—a government-funded flyby mission paving the way for future lunar landings—has captured attention and imagination through open coverage, educational content and a sense of shared curiosity that feels unmistakably civic. It’s a reminder of what it looks like when public funding, public institutions and public storytelling work together to make collective life feel expansive and ambitious. 

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At the same time, private ventures into space exploration and speculative technologies are often celebrated as the pinnacle of ambition, framed through the logic of disruption and individual glory—think SpaceX-style branding and billionaire mythology—even when they draw heavily on public contracts, infrastructure and research. Billions of dollars are flowing into these future-facing projects, while libraries, schools and other civic institutions struggle to survive. 

Communication design has played a critical role in making this feel normal. Private ambition is presented as bold and visionary, with sleek branding and compelling narratives that win public attention, while public infrastructure is........

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