Rarefied

Bowie, pop-rock, influences surface:
'Starman', 'Space Oddity', Major Tom;
Babylon Zoo - 'Spaceman'/
'Telstar' and 'Rocket Man' –
"It's lonely out in Space";
Adam Ant - 'Apollo 9'.

Did Apollo 11 land on the Moon –
Or studio-mocked up, Hollywood?
American public and politicos alike
Lost manned spaceflight appetite –
Post-Shuttle disasters, soaring costs;
Mars elusive; science-fact trails sci-fi.

Now, new ambitions much-vaunted,
"Ripley" crash test dummy launched;
Renewed hype sparked by Elon Musk,
Mr Branson takes heed; billionaire greed.