Thirty seven years ago today, a human being walked on the surface of the Moon for the first time. Today, Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the Moon, writes that we need to look to the stars once again.
In the past five years, our country has experienced challenging times, from economic hardships tied to natural disasters, to national security and global competitiveness.
NASA’s Vision is exactly what our nation needs right now.
It captivates our minds, revitalizes our spirits and boosts us into the future.
In more than four decades of space exploration ? and especially throughout the past 25 years of more than 100 shuttle flights ? the technologies developed have touched the lives of nearly every American through communication technology, medical research and countless other ways.
The Vision for Space Exploration not only needs our support, it deserves our support. We can’t concede our leadership and watch from the sidelines. That means getting in the game and pressing on.
Thirty-seven years ago today, Neil Armstrong and I took mankind’s first steps on the moon, and history books still tout that feat as one of America’s greatest achievements.
I am proud to be part of that triumph in our space program.
But there are many more “firsts” to strive for. Some of our most important accomplishments and discoveries are ahead.
Sadly, in the last thirty-seven years we have not only not moved forward from Apollo, we have, arguably, moved backwards to the point where we are doing the same things we were doing in the 1960s. There are other opportunities out there, and I’d like to see humans explore them in my lifetime, otherwise, this may all have been in vain:
July 20th, 2006 at 11:00 am
Neil Armstrong went to Purdue
Along with quite a few other astronauts we’ve put into space.
Go Boilers!
(Yes, I’m seriously fiending for college football to start up again).
July 20th, 2006 at 11:05 am
Brad,
He may have gone to Purdue, but I’m sure my wife would want it noted for the record that he’s from Ohio
And I hear you when it comes to college football to get started. I’m specifically looking forward to our September trip to see the OSU-Penn State game.
July 20th, 2006 at 11:13 am
Yeah, I’m probably going to be able to head up for Purdue-Ball State or Purdue-Miami (OH). It’ll be the first Purdue game I’ve been at since the 2000 Rose Bowl, as that was the exact time I moved to California, and I’ve only been “back east” for a year or so.
OSU looks pretty tough this year. I know they replace a lot on defense, but that’s never bothered Tressel before. I think Purdue is going to surprise some people this year, though. I think they can win any game on their schedule, and I wouldn’t be very surprised to see them finish around 11-2. They could be another Auburn; come off a horrible year and really make a statement.
And please try to convince Troy Smith and Ted Ginn to leave for the NFL after this year. I REALLY don’t want to have to face them next year when Purdue and OSU play again!
July 20th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
Guys can’t you move the sports banter to another post. Now I can’t remember what I was going to say about SPACE EXPLORATION.
July 20th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
Raymond,
All you need to know (this being a libertarian blog and all) is that Space Exploration rules, but the government has it’s head up it’s arse and will never do it right.
Good enough?
July 20th, 2006 at 8:09 pm
Brad,
Don’t mind Raymond, he’s buddy, but he went to UT (you know, Hook `em Horns and all that stuff) and is probably worried about a visit to Austin from some Buckeyes coming up the second weekend in September.
July 21st, 2006 at 12:19 pm
The pride of Wapakoneta!
I’m reading First Man, Armstrong’s authorized biography. Did you realize Aldrin didn’t take any pictures of him on the moon? I didn’t.