It somehow got deranked from #2 to #23 in 5 minutes: http://hnrankings.info/18011723/

There are some "sensational" notes that are a bit meh for my taste. Maybe that's why people downvote.

You can't downvote a story though - or do you think people flagged it instead?

A positive interpretation is that the original piece wasn’t very substantive, and tossing it off the front page was a way to make room for the more-substantive articles (which we’re now commenting on).

A less positive interpretation is that voters have very little say over what goes on the front page — or more specifically, what stays.

Meanwhile, this BBC story about it got taken from #1 to #75 in 10 minutes: http://hnrankings.info/18013406/

This isn't happening with other stories. The system is clearly being gamed.

It is weird. We just heard a private person is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to help fund a flyby of the moon.

Strange undeed.

It is strange because this is a big announcement, that is concrete with real money and people (more soon to be announced). By Elon Musk. But there doesn't seem to be much love for him by the press.

Is it because Elon offended the press few weeks ago? I don't understand why press thinks it is above some criticism?

I suspect publicity created by this will easy recoup all expenses.

How?

When you have billions it's irrelevant, no more than the average joe dropping $10k on a holiday

Slight correction: when you have billions, but found your projects in big part by government subsidies.

If you pay taxes in USA, you partially own tiny bit of every single conpany other than x/paypal that Musk ever -funded-

Slight correction: This is Maezawa's money that is been discussed here.

Indeed, this is someone who's happy to spend $100m on a picture.

There’s a certain level of Musk fatigue. An increasing number of people seem to be tired of his antics.

I totally get it. I really want his daily yellow-page-worthy news out of HN.

But calling a fly to the moon "antics" is rather unfair.

If it happens I’ll come back and edit the comment, until then it’s just another publicity grab. I’ll have to put it on my 2023 todo list!

The discourse may be a bit spicy but by no means flame war territory. The story certainly isn’t clickbait or overly political.

It’s certainly the most newsworthy thing of the week IMO.

Dear Mods,

Put it back. And deduct 100 points from whoever flagged it off.

Because you stand over the mods shoulders watching them? How do you claim to know this and that it wasn’t flagged?

Commenters are high as fuck.