600,000,000 TV viewers
Two men walked on the Moon.
From Space Odyssey to Space Oddity, from Star Trek to Star Wars and science fiction going mainstream, the spark that set it off was on TV July 20, 1969 when 600,000,000 TV viewers set mesmerized as man first set foot on the moon.
Saturday Buzz Aldrin had a book signing at the Grove. “Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon” is now an autographed treasure. Transfixed, mesmerized by this small huge man we listened raptly as he spoke of further exploration and journeys to Mars. Of all the people in the world to meet, to see in person, to hear speak, only Neil Armstrong is on a par with Buzz Aldrin, nobody else can even come close. Immortalized at Hollywood and Vine, no star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has ever reached higher and succeeded.
Sidebar: Neil Armstrong. Not Lance! Neil! One would think when making an introduction the right names would be used. What were you thinking?!!!
Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong and Blind Willie Johnson may Voyage further but their final destination is still unknown and unknowable. Will we be there to catch them 40,000 years from now when they come to a stop? Or will this be the last great step for man? Robotic exploration over the last thirty years is all well and good however the need for man to reach the stars is greater still. Whether the excuse is to search for new energy sources, economic expansion through exploitation of lunar and asteroid resources, population relief through migration, tourism or rooms with a view we need those who will take their passion for the stars to the extreme and develop ways to continue on into the vastness of space at Mach 8 or faster.
The spirit of Apollo 11 has never dimed but rather has expanded from Astroland at Coney Island to the Air & Space Museum, from the music to literature, from Hollywood to cyberspace encouraging and fanning the flames of our expectations when red tape and cold war distractions threatened to bury the dream forever. If nothing else, the internet has provided the funds to promote interest. Men like Paul Allen , Sergey Brin , Richard Garriott, Fred Bourgeois, III, John Carmack, Jeff Bezos , and Elon Musk are providing incentive and funding for private exploration of space. Lets hope we have more success in our quest than Thomas Jerome Newton did in his.
Will we make the grade or anesthetize ourselves to pretend we don’t care? The Sea of Tranquility was only the first step, regardless of motivation and agendas ranging as they do from altruism to greed, from international cooperation to promoting a singular cause, exploration of space and the technology and knowhow to do so are of paramount importance to all. George Carlin may have worshiped the sun but I grew up looking to the stars. If you are one of those 600,000,000 who first witnessed the Apollo 11 landing July 20, 1969 chances are you are too.
PS: If you’d like to be an astronaut Starchaser Industries is taking applications.
PPS: Or, for only 25 to 35 million you can travel to the space station.
Two men walked on the Moon.
From Space Odyssey to Space Oddity, from Star Trek to Star Wars and science fiction going mainstream, the spark that set it off was on TV July 20, 1969 when 600,000,000 TV viewers set mesmerized as man first set foot on the moon.
Saturday Buzz Aldrin had a book signing at the Grove. “Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon” is now an autographed treasure. Transfixed, mesmerized by this small huge man we listened raptly as he spoke of further exploration and journeys to Mars. Of all the people in the world to meet, to see in person, to hear speak, only Neil Armstrong is on a par with Buzz Aldrin, nobody else can even come close. Immortalized at Hollywood and Vine, no star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has ever reached higher and succeeded.
Sidebar: Neil Armstrong. Not Lance! Neil! One would think when making an introduction the right names would be used. What were you thinking?!!!
Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong and Blind Willie Johnson may Voyage further but their final destination is still unknown and unknowable. Will we be there to catch them 40,000 years from now when they come to a stop? Or will this be the last great step for man? Robotic exploration over the last thirty years is all well and good however the need for man to reach the stars is greater still. Whether the excuse is to search for new energy sources, economic expansion through exploitation of lunar and asteroid resources, population relief through migration, tourism or rooms with a view we need those who will take their passion for the stars to the extreme and develop ways to continue on into the vastness of space at Mach 8 or faster.
The spirit of Apollo 11 has never dimed but rather has expanded from Astroland at Coney Island to the Air & Space Museum, from the music to literature, from Hollywood to cyberspace encouraging and fanning the flames of our expectations when red tape and cold war distractions threatened to bury the dream forever. If nothing else, the internet has provided the funds to promote interest. Men like Paul Allen , Sergey Brin , Richard Garriott, Fred Bourgeois, III, John Carmack, Jeff Bezos , and Elon Musk are providing incentive and funding for private exploration of space. Lets hope we have more success in our quest than Thomas Jerome Newton did in his.
Will we make the grade or anesthetize ourselves to pretend we don’t care? The Sea of Tranquility was only the first step, regardless of motivation and agendas ranging as they do from altruism to greed, from international cooperation to promoting a singular cause, exploration of space and the technology and knowhow to do so are of paramount importance to all. George Carlin may have worshiped the sun but I grew up looking to the stars. If you are one of those 600,000,000 who first witnessed the Apollo 11 landing July 20, 1969 chances are you are too.
PS: If you’d like to be an astronaut Starchaser Industries is taking applications.
PPS: Or, for only 25 to 35 million you can travel to the space station.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment