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A Tribute to the Astronauts on the Space Shuttle Columbia
BUZZFLASH
READER COMMENTARY
by Mary MacElveen
While growing up in the sixties was a turbulent time. Where our country was in the midst of fighting the Viet Nam war, and there were protests against it. Space was our uniter.
President John F. Kennedy during his administration challenged a nation to send a man to the moon, and at that time, it was task that some thought could not be met. But, that did not stop the American spirit from at least meeting his challenge to us all.
So, many scientists heeded his call, rolled up their sleeves, and worked tirelessly to send men to the moon. Through trial and error they succeeded. And when Apollo Eleven fired up it’s engines on that launch pad, and rose to the heavens our pride, awe and hopes for a better future went along with that brave crew.
Back then, space travel was our own American miracle. It reached down deep into our souls knowing anything was possible. Launches were an American event, where many of us huddled around probably the only set in our homes, which for the most part were black and white sets. We watched esteemed journalists such as Walter Cronkite report these launches and paid close attention to everything that was said. After all, we did not want to miss one second of our collective history.
Even shows such as Star Trek with its primitive special effects, became a popular show because it reflected what our hopes and dreams would be in the future. To boldly go where no man has gone before. Many of our real life astronauts did just that. They were and still are, men and women made of the right stuff. They did push and still push the American envelope taking us into the future. Something that we must not forget. They were and still are our future pioneers and for that, we owe them a debt of gratitude.
As space missions went on, our attention to it collectively failed. No more huddled masses around television sets to witness history. But, the huddled masses returned when the Space Shuttle Challenger came down from the heavens, and we stood still, and thought our hopes and dreams went along with them.
But, it did not. We continued to send men and women up into space. Serving many missions. From biological missions to help save lives here on Earth to other scientific missions to help bring us all a life real life Star Trek.
Other nations joined in with their own space programs, and united with us in peaceful missions, and that is something to be heralded. Here we were up in space with Russian cosmonauts, where they were once our enemy. We were working hand in hand in hopes for our collective futures. At times, I wish we could do that consistently here on Earth.
Many of these missions were unmanned but still warranted our awe and inspiration as well. We sent such an unmanned mission to the planet Mars. Another miracle. We have sent other vehicles into deep space to report their unmanned findings, but I must state that they were not unmanned. Countless scientists here on the ground sent their souls along with these mechanical pioneers. Their missions were just as important as all of the manned ones as well.
Now today another tragedy has hit our innocence, our inspiration, and our hopes with the crash of the Space Shuttle Columbia. But we must all remember that seven brave astronauts went up into space carrying all of our hopes and dreams with them. They too were our brave pioneers, and we must continue on. They would want us to. In their memories we must continue to hope, dream, search for inspiration, and witness in awe the takeoffs to come. Our hearts must flutter as we hear, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, then blast off.
It is my hope that as Americans we start paying closer attention to space takeoffs, because that is our future. At some point in the future, God willing, man and woman kind will in reality go where we never thought possible. Where we can truly say to one another, and mean it, “Live long and prosper."
Our collective sympathy goes out to the surviving families of our brave space pioneers, and to the lone Israeli space pioneer aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. God’s speed in your travels to the Heaven above.
In memory of, Rick Husband, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, William McCool and Ilan Ramon.
BUZZFLASH
READER COMMENTARY
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