We recently celebrated the 47th anniversary of the first footprints on the moon this past July 20, 2016. I’ve been asked before where I would go if I could go back to any point in history, and I’m nearly positive I would go back to that date. I would have loved to have been in Mission Control when Neil Armstrong put his boots on lunar soil and made a giant leap for all mankind. I can only imagine the tension in the room as the Lunar Module undocked from the Apollo capsule, when Neil and Buzz stepped onto the lunar surface and when they launched off the moon to reunite with Michael Collins and return to earth. Almost everyone I know who was alive at that time remembers being tuned in to a grainy, black-and-white broadcast, watching Apollo 11 unfold.
The first moon landing captivated America. When the three astronauts returned home, there were parades galore, dedications, speeches and other honorary events. An overwhelming majority of the US came together to celebrate a monumental achievement that made them proud of their country. America was, quite literally, reaching for the stars and earned its place at the forefront of the Space Race.
Outer space may be cold and dark, but it is not a place with laws that discriminate. There are no borders or boundaries where one human can travel further than any other. There is nothing in outer space to care about your history, your income, your skin color or your sexual orientation. It is truly limitless. Only the unforgiving atmosphere is harsh, but we have developed technologies that help us endure it. Space is a place where no one can survive on his or her own, leveling us all; therefore, it is a place where everyone can feel a sense of equality.
America is in need of something to unite its citizens. When NASA zoomed past Pluto with New Horizons or entered Jupiter’s orbit with Juno, millions of people cheered at the accomplishments of our space agency. Regardless of who you were or where you were from, the country you call home had accomplished something unprecedented. We are in awe with the images of the Pillars of Creation and the Horsehead Nebula, the bands of the Milky Way and deep field photos of galaxies far beyond us, and because these places belonged to no one, they belonged to everyone.
Our adventurous spirits and Manifest Destiny desires are never truly quenched. Seeing our nation advance into space brings a sense of pride to countless Americans. Space exploration can be an engaging discussion for people of all ages and from all place because no one can deny the perplexity and beauty of it. To have the opportunity to explore off our home planet and learn about what lies beyond is something our country needs right now. To be able to wonder what we will discover and learn next is exciting, and it gives us something to look forward to. When times are tough in America, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to be amazed at the technologies we are developing, the mysteries of the universe we are solving, and the accomplishments our country is making in outer space.
