Apollo 11 Remembered
Monday, 20. July 2009, 01:12:20
Man landed on the moon 40 years ago. It was July 20, 1969. I was 12 years old at the time. I was visiting my grandparents in Bloomington, Illinois and so I shared the historic event with them. We were glued to the TV the night of the walk. We tuned in before the walk to watch Walter Cronkite (who passed away the other day) explain what was to take place during the walk. My grandparents went to bed after about an hour but they told me I could stay up and watch it. I didn't want to miss any of that historic event so I turned down the sound a little and watched until the end of the telecast.
Putting a man on the moon was the result of years of work and a series of flights and tests to prepare for that day. Everyone I knew was following the progress of the space program and even those who were not very interested in it wanted to watch as man walked on the moon. It was amazing to know that two men were walking around on that object I had looked up at so many times.
I had followed the space program for years but I don't remember much about the Mercury missions. I do remember Gemini and then the Apollo missions. I thought it would be neat to become an astronaut but I never did much about it. When I was young I thought many more people would be in space now than what we actually have. I thought there would be people living on the moon and I also thought we would have put a person on Mars by now. It appears I will not get to space and it is unlikely anyone will be living on the moon during my lifetime. We have probes on Mars but putting a person on that planet appears to be many years away.
I continue to follow the space program. The space station doesn't quite have the thrill of the moon landing but it is still interesting. I have gone outside a few times at night to watch the space station fly over when given the time and location by a local weatherman. I hear and read that some businesses are thinking of making space flight available to the public but I bet a ticket would be expensive. If a flight or moon landing were offered to me I would go. I doubt there is any need for a bookkeeper in space or on the moon but I would go if given the chance. I know space flight is still dangerous but I would be willing to take the risk. Perhaps such opportunity will be available to my grandchildren (don't have any yet) but for me it will be something to dream about or experience via a movie.
Putting a man on the moon was the result of years of work and a series of flights and tests to prepare for that day. Everyone I knew was following the progress of the space program and even those who were not very interested in it wanted to watch as man walked on the moon. It was amazing to know that two men were walking around on that object I had looked up at so many times.
I had followed the space program for years but I don't remember much about the Mercury missions. I do remember Gemini and then the Apollo missions. I thought it would be neat to become an astronaut but I never did much about it. When I was young I thought many more people would be in space now than what we actually have. I thought there would be people living on the moon and I also thought we would have put a person on Mars by now. It appears I will not get to space and it is unlikely anyone will be living on the moon during my lifetime. We have probes on Mars but putting a person on that planet appears to be many years away.
I continue to follow the space program. The space station doesn't quite have the thrill of the moon landing but it is still interesting. I have gone outside a few times at night to watch the space station fly over when given the time and location by a local weatherman. I hear and read that some businesses are thinking of making space flight available to the public but I bet a ticket would be expensive. If a flight or moon landing were offered to me I would go. I doubt there is any need for a bookkeeper in space or on the moon but I would go if given the chance. I know space flight is still dangerous but I would be willing to take the risk. Perhaps such opportunity will be available to my grandchildren (don't have any yet) but for me it will be something to dream about or experience via a movie.
WIDGETIZE
Brian # 21. July 2009, 14:26
Bob # 21. July 2009, 18:23