Today marks the anniversary of the launchpad fire that killed astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chafee. I've blogged about this anniversary before. Another blog that I follow is Letters of Note, which last November published a memo (from the holdings of the National Archives), written by Nixon speechwriter William Safire. The memo was titled, "In Event of Moon Disaster" and detailed how President Nixon should respond in the event that NASA Mission Control would be unable to get Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin back up from the surface of the moon in 1969.
Fortunately for all those involved the memo was never needed. When a memo written for a presidential statement starts out, "Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace" that's some serious stuff.
So if you feel like it, think about those trailblazers who had "the right stuff" to explore space for us and remember those who didn't make it. While you're at it, think about Mark Kelly, whose wife also appears to have the endurance of an astronaut as she recovers from her injury.
3 comments:
Ironic that the following day, Friday, January 28 marks the anniversary of the Challenger disaster.
I don't know if you've ever been to the Astronaut Memorial at Kennedy Space Center (if not, you really should.) It may be the best memorial I've ever seen. Names are carved into a large panel of black marble (I think it's marble.) Behind that, a reflector gathers sunlight & shines it through the names out into the sky. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it, actually. I have a nice shot of my brother sitting on a bench there, paying his respects.
I find it ironic (& perhaps a sign of the times,) that we landed on the Moon so (relatively,) recently, but somehow it's already passe. Space exploration and travel will never be passe to me. It amazes me now & always & I have a LOT of respect for those willing to risk their lives for that cause.
pcw - followed right by the Columbia disaster also.
Lana - I'm with you. We should keep going, because it's what's next.
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