The stars at night are big and bright...

The stars at night are big and bright...
The stars at night are big and bright...

Saturday, July 12, 2008

"One small step for man..."


Allow me a moment to let my geek out. We have a very significant anniversary coming up in a few days. The 39th anniversary of Apollo 11.

Today we have taken spaceflight for granted. Quick, what are the names of american astronauts on the International Space Station? You haven't got a clue, do you? Well don't feel bad, neither did I. For the record the crew of Expedition 17 are on board which includes American Gregory Chamitoff.

This just proves how nonchalant we take man travelling in space. We have a couple generations that don't know what life was like without it. Instant communications, the intardnet, computers, and Tang. Does anybody drink Tang anymore? None of this would exist without man's effort to travel in space.

But, I digress...

On July 16, 1969 Apollo 11 launched from Kennedy Space Center and 4 days later man set foot on the moon while the whole world watched. To steal a quote from Buzz Aldren, I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events and to give thanks in his or her own way.





2 comments:

calvin ray and bubba said...

i remember being four years old and sitting in the barber shop watching in total amazement on an old grainy black and white tv in the corner. i beleive those years in the late sixties and early seventies were truly the "sweet spot" of my lifetime and for what was then modern america

RPM said...

I had the Post cereal back of the box cut out models for Eagle and Columbia. I simulated the landings right along with Walter Cronkite sitting in front of the old Radiation King.

I later had a t-shirt with a picture of the lunar module sitting on the surface with the words "Tranquility Base here, The Eagle has landed". I wore that shirt untill it was 3 sizes too small and faded beyond recognition.