I don’t know what it is but ever since I was little I have been fascinated by space travel and those lucky few who have managed to leave this speck that we call home. Yesterday the space shuttle Endeavour lifted off from the Kennedy Space Centre, heading towards the International Space Station. I will admit to trying to watch the launches over the internet when I can (NASA streams them live) and I do plan to make a trip out to Florida to catch one of the launches live before NASA mothballs the shuttle in a years time.
Forty years ago there was another space mission launched by NASA by the name of Apollo Eleven. This carried three men, two of whom were to become the first people to walk on the surface of the moon. The names of these three men are unforgettable. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and The Other One*. These men went out without the promise of return. Without the promise of rescue. They went into the unknown and they returned.
* – Michael Collins
This entry was posted on Thursday, July 16th, 2009 at 10:21 pm and is filed under Just life.... You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:51 am
It has been a dream of mine to see a Shuttle launch live too: perhaps I need to take steps. Perhaps we should organise a Wibmeet there?
July 17th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
The problem with shuttle launches is that they never go when planned. On holidya in 1994 my friend and I were hoping to see a shuttle launch on our last full day.
Unfortunately I fell asleep waiting for her to get ready and then, seeing me out sparko, she went back to bed. Thankfully for us the launch was delayed.