Even if we don’t realize it, what
happened 60 years ago today affected all of us profoundly.
On October 4th, 1957, humanity was
changed forever. The then-Soviet Union launched an 80-pound piece of
metal into orbit, and that 80-pound piece of metal, Sputnik 1, began
the space age. With it came a technological explosion that affects
us to this day, and the realization that maybe--just maybe--there’s
more to the universe than our little planet.
Being a child of the 60’s, space and
space flight has been a part of my life since I can remember. I
wanted to be an astronaut when I was growing up, and I still hope to
make it into orbit sometime in the next 40 or 50 years. I can name
all 8 major planets (and most of the minor planets) without even
thinking, and one of the highlights of my life occurred when I went
to Florida in 2002 and watched the next to last launch of the space
shuttle Columbia. Watching one human-made machine turn a dark sky
orange was just awe-inspiring. . .especially when you realize you’re
12 miles away from the pad and, even at that distance, the ground is
shaking.
That being said, I realize that most of
you don’t care about space and its impact upon you one bit. That’s
okay, but on a day like today, take a second and think about what
your life would be like if the technological explosion that
accompanied the space race never took place. The tablet on which
you’re reading this? Probably wouldn’t be around. The cell
phone on which you spend most of your day engrossed in texts and
Facebook updates? ? Nope. The i-Pod on which you listen to your
favorite tunes? Zip. The biodegradable stitches and dozens of other
medical devices that save lives on a daily basis? Zilch. The Velcro
that allows your kids to run outside and not trip on laces? Nada.
So even if the only times you’ve paid
attention to humanity’s reach for the stars was when Neil Armstrong
walked on the moon and when Luke Skywalker left Tatooine, realize
that that reach has led to the way we live our lives--for better or
worse--these days.
And it all began 60 years ago today.
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