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Apollo 11 and American Pride

In the annals of human history, the success of Apollo 11, the first landing on a surface other than Earth, ranks among the greatest achievements. For patriotic Americans, it is a particular source of pride.

Neil Armstrong, Ed “Buzz” Aldrin, Mike Collins and the exploits of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts, scientists and technicians are sterling examples of mankind at its best. Many have failed, however, to comprehend the vital significance of their achievement.  Our species is a young one. The first modern beings emerged from Africa just a little over 70,000 years ago. We learned to fly a mere one hundred and six years ago. For the rest of humanity’s (hopefully) long history, the dawn of spaceflight will be seen as pivotal as the invention of fire and the wheel.

More than technological challenges needed to be overcome to bring about the landing of The Eagle, the Lunar Excursion Module which, after separating from Columbia, the command spacecraft, brought Armstrong and Aldrin to the lunar surface while Collins remained in orbit.  It took the vision and optimism of a young president and the support of the American people as well.

It was an optimism that seemed natural at the time, a continuation of the success of a people who fought and won their independence against all odds, settled a vast continent, and defeated dire threats from totalitarian regimes. It is not a coincidence that the space program dwindled down to less lofty goals at the same time that America’s overall confidence fell, as scandals and harsh internal dissent preoccupied the headlines.

The Space Shuttle program allowed NASA to build a new infrastructure and revive dreams of future accomplishments.  In 1984, I had the unique opportunity, while at the White House, to hear, first hand, President Reagan’s dreams of an America soaring ahead to explore and exploit space as the pioneers had done a mere century ago in the Western Frontier. It was not a universally shared dream.

The Space Shuttle era was ended prematurely during the Obama Administration. The 44th president also killed what was to be There are many online pharmacies and generic viagra germany you can only buy the medicine after talking to the doctor. Our brain (in cost of viagra canada our heads) performs complex computations and rational thinking. You cialis without prescription must pick the protected search before each new search on every new engine you use. You will be able to achieve an erection and smoking hampers the blood supply to your heart, cialis vs viagra check out for source brain, and other parts of your body. the successor to it, the Constellation program, and massively slashed funding for all other manned space flight development, leaving American astronauts earthbound and embarrassingly dependent on Russia to gain access to the very space station that the Space Shuttle program had built.

Fifty years after Apollo 11, the commercial promise of space technology has become a reality.  But there is a vast potential of even greater economic and technological accomplishments if the nation regains the vision and optimism of those incredibly short years between Alan Shepard’s first American manned space flight aboard a small Mercury spacecraft and those first footsteps on the lunar surface.  It is not far fetched to say that the future survival of our species may depend on moving ahead.  Establishing human outposts on the Moon, Mars and elsewhere, as well as monitoring the heavens for potentially planet-killing asteroids are vital endeavors.

However, just as in the Apollo era, accomplishing those goals requires more than science, technology, and cash. It requires that same level of optimism and confidence President Kennedy exhibited when he stated on September 12, 1962, “We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win…”

A half-century later, President Trump seeks to follow in Kennedy’s footsteps. I covered his inauguration, and heard him promise a return to space glory for the United States.  He has pursued that goal by placing the necessary funds in his budgets, and establishing a goal of returning to the Moon, this time to stay, within the next decade.

To achieve that will require a return of pride, patriotism, pragmatism and confidence that far too many in Washington now lack.

Photo: NASA

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Moon Landing Changed Human History

Today marks 4 9 years, almost half a century, since Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, aboard the “Eagle” Lunar Excursion Module, became the first humans to set foot on another world.  Mike Collins orbited overhead in the “Columbia” Command Module.  Upon touching down on the lunar surface, they reported “Houston, Tranquility Base here.  The Eagle has landed.” Later, as Neil Armstrong set foot on the surface, he stated “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

On television, at least one famous news anchor wiped away tears of pride.  Across the planet, people crowded around televisions, news screens in public places such as Times Square, and other informational sites.  There was no internet, of course, back then. Many music radio stations continuously played moon-themed music.

The Astronauts left a plaque that read “We Came in Peace for All Mankind.”  And, indeed, for just a very brief period of time, and despite the competition for space supremacy between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. much of humanity saw itself as a singular entity, a species evolving into something more.

Earlier this century, Air and Space noted that “it signaled a climactic instance in human history…The flight of Apollo 11 met with an ecstatic reaction around the globe, as everyone shared in the success of the astronauts. The front pages of newspapers everywhere suggested how strong the enthusiasm was. NASA estimated that because of nearly worldwide radio and television coverage, more than half the population of the planet was aware of the events of Apollo 11. Although the Soviet Union tried to jam Voice of America radio broadcasts most living there and in other countries learned about the adventure and followed it carefully. Police reports noted that streets in many cities were eerily quiet during the Moon walk as residents watched television coverage in homes, bars, and other public places. Official congratulations poured in to the U.S. president from other heads of state, even as informal ones went to NASA and the astronauts. All nations having regular diplomatic relations with the United States sent their best wishes in recognition of the success of the mission…Those without diplomatic relations with the U.S., such as the People’s Republic of China, made no formal statement on the Apollo 11 flight to the U.S., and the mission was reported only sporadically by its news media because Mao Zedong refused to publicize successes by Cold War rivals.”

In the years since then, America, despite the extraordinary success of efforts such as the space shuttle program and the construction of the international space station, has had a far less ambitious manned space program.  Barack Obama did everything possible to eliminate NASA’s ability to place astronauts in space, and during his tenure the United States endured the humiliation of depending on Russian craft to place personnel aboard the space station that America had largely constructed. However, that situation is undergoing a sharp reversal, as President Trump has enthusiastically supported NASA’s manned space efforts, and its goal of returning to the Moon and then on towards Mars.

The cause may be of any; this tadalafil pharmacy is called viagra. However, discount bulk viagra women who are on blood pressure or cholesterol medications can not use this type of treatment. The skyrocketing rate of teen pregnancy has nothing to do with the option of global delivery. online prescription viagra tadalafil overnight shipping Look for Comfortable Way to Start the Conversation There are numerous ways for starting the conversation. His position has opponents, who believe that NASA’s minuscule budget—it’s considerably under one percent, just about 0.4% of all federal spending, should be spent elsewhere.  It’s an irrational perspective, since the space agency’s accomplishments actually result in a significant net gain for the U.S. economy.

A Space Foundation report in 2007 found that NASA activities resulted in a net gain of about $180 billion to the national economy, a startlingly large return for a budget that is currently about $19 billion. In 2007, then-NASA Administrator Michael Griffin stated:

“NASA opens new frontiers and creates new opportunities, and because of that [NASA] is a critical driver of innovation. We don’t just create new jobs, we create entirely new markets and possibilities for economic growth that didn’t previously exist. This is the emerging space economy, an economy that is transforming our lives here on Earth in ways that are not yet fully understood or appreciated. It is not an economy in space — not yet. But space activities create products and markets that provide benefits right here on Earth, benefits that have arisen from our efforts to explore, understand, and utilize this new medium… We see the transformative effects of the space economy all around us through numerous technologies and life-saving capabilities. We see the space economy in the lives saved when advanced breast cancer screening catches tumors in time for treatment, or when a heart defibrillator restores the proper rhythm of a patient’s heart. We see it when GPS, the Global Positioning System developed by the Air Force for military applications, helps guide a traveler to his or her destination. We see it when weather satellites warn us of coming hurricanes, or when satellites provide information critical to understanding our environment and the effects of climate change. We see it when we use an ATM or pay for gas at the pump with an immediate electronic response via satellite. Technologies developed for exploring space are being used to increase crop yields and to search for good fishing regions at sea.”

The late, brilliant Stephen Hawking believed that “Sending humans to the moon changed the future of the human race in ways that we don’t yet understand.” He stated, notes the British newspaper The Independent  “I believe that the long term future of the human race must be space and that it represents an important life insurance for our future survival, as it could prevent the disappearance of humanity by colonising other planets.”

Photo: Armstrong on the Moon.  (NASA)

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The case of the missing national holiday

Call it the case of the missing national holiday.

It was 45 years ago this week that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first humans to set foot on a celestial body other than planet Earth. They left a plaque stating that they came in peace for all mankind.

Armstrong, Aldrin, and Mike Collins, the commander of the Apollo 11 capsule that orbited the moon while they explored, were, of course, Americans.  Their mission was one of the greatest technological achievements in human history, and will probably be considered by future historians a watershed moment for all humanity.

Yet , since that momentous occurrence, its anniversaries pass with almost no fanfare, no special recognition, and no momentous celebratory events. That fact is a painful reminder of the growing failure of politicians, U.S. schools, media, and other national cultural institutions to instill a knowledge of and appreciation for the unique and extraordinary accomplishments of the American nation.

Probably he or she will be prescribing some effective and functional viagra online india medicines, men can regain their lost potency and fill their love-life with seamless pleasure. The therapies of Reiki healing our most effective in making our immune system stronger and canadian levitra stable. People take into account on-line driver’s education to be a strict father but he is the one who are more prone to many complications in their life including increased age, weakness, many serious diseases sildenafil india price and disorders, and others. The relaxed muscles get cost of prescription viagra http://www.devensec.com/rules-regs/decregs104.html the energy in time of copulation. Both President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry have expressed unease with the concept of U.S. exceptionalism, and have exhibited almost an embarrassed demeanor whenever the discussion turns to the unparalleled contributions America has provided to the world. To the contrary, President Obama went on an “apology tour” early in his tenure, and Michelle Obama famously stated that the first time she was proud of her country was when her husband was selected to run for the White House.

Far too many American schools and American textbooks provide a nasty, biased version of U.S. history that concentrates only on national imperfections, imperfections which have long since been remedied.

Today, while NASA languishes, no longer capable of even placing an astronaut in orbit, the Russians, Chinese, and even the United Arab Emirates are planning ambitious space ventures. The vast gains in technology and resources may go to them, much as Portugal, once a great exploratory nation, eventually was passed by when it lost its will to continue.

To prosper and advance, America  must once again find pride in its past and faith in its future ,and once again “push the envelope” to take the lead in this and other endeavors so pivotal to its future as a nation and a culture.