Forty years ago, the crew of Apollo 11 stepped into the history books. While Command Module Pilot Michael Collins orbited above, Mission Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot "Buzz" Aldrin became the first human beings to walk on the moon. All three men were veteran astronauts and pilots on their second space flight.
I've often wondered how that must have felt, to be the very first of a race of tens of billions over thousands of years, to set foot on an alien world. What was it like to forget all of the training and the preparation it took to get there, to set aside the work and danger that lie ahead - and just revel in that single moment?
Was it a moment of spirituality, one where you felt closer to an omnipotent God who occasionally likes to grab the snow globe called Earth and give it a good shake, just to watch the snow fall? Would it be the perfect opportunity to proclaim your faith in Christ or would you be professional enough to take it all in your stride?
It certainly must have been humbling. Gazing out at the trillions of stars that have mutely stood watch over us since the dawn of time, you would trulyrealize that you are small and insignificant, that you matter to the universe not one iota, that only a footprint on a barren moon will ever mark your passing. Would you fall to your knees, sobbing uncontrollably, at the sheer magnitude of it all? I know that I would.
How do you go back to your life after something like that? How do you put on a coat and tie, sit in an office doing paperwork, then stop at the market for milk and bread on the way home, kissing your wife as you settle in to watch some TV? How many nights would you stand alone in the backyard, staring up at that bright orb, listening to it calling you back? No matter your contribution to the future of space travel, would you ever feel fulfilled again?
It must be an immensely personal thing, to be one of only twelve men in history to have taken that long walk.
Should we continue to fund the exploration of space? We've wasted billions on the worthless ISS (International Space Station) but the Hubble telescope has been hugely successful, as have the Mars land rovers. NASA currently has a budget of 0.06 percent of the federal budget, and even that is coming under fire as the new administration continues to spend money we don't have on things we don't need. Will they axe the NASA budget to help pay for the health care of illegal aliens or to bail out their friends in failing companies? I wouldn't put it past them.
The Chinese, the Japanese, the Russians and the Indians all have programs of their own directed at space exploration. While international cooperation is a good thing, we can ill afford to fall behind these nations and relinquish our claim as the true pioneers of space. America will always produce people like Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins, men and women with the courage to meet any challenge and lead our race into the future. Let's pray that our elected "leaders" find the strength and wisdom to fully support their mission.
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