I always start work early and today was no exception. My wife could not sleep and got up in the middle of the night to watch TV in the living room. Where, of course, she fell asleep.
I awoke before the alarm, snuck past her sleeping form on the couch, and went to work. As I crunched numbers for student grades and checked on book sales, time passed quickly. Suddenly I heard her voice say, “Joe. They are launching the rocket.” That was enough to pull me away from my computer screen and make me trot into the family room to check out the TV screen.
Sure enough, the Orion was lifting from Cape Kennedy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCanbuiSywg
I knew it would fly today and was hoping for good weather. I dashed out the back door to find overcast skies and fog. There would be no viewing of the launch from St. Augustine today.
As I watched the telemetry follow the massive rocket into the skies, I thought back across more than 50 years to reflect on our space program. For a boy growing up in the shadow of rockets, I have enjoyed following the space program.
For many of the baby boomers, the space program has played an important role in the development of our imaginations. As children, we grew up with George Jetson and his family. All of us knew that by the time we reached retirement age, we would have our flying jetcars. We watched TV shows about space that included I Dream of Jeannie, Star Trek, and Lost in Space. “Danger Will Robinson!” was part of the vernacular of the time.
Today, only the baby boomers can connect the phrase to the proper television show. When the younger generation hears those words spoken aloud, they look at the person who spoke as if they were daft. (Oh wait, some of us are!)
However daft we were or might be, we are still the generation that went to the moon. And that, which is arguably one of the most significant events of mankind, really was something to behold.
After landing on the moon, we really started to believe anything is possible. Indeed, I think we can do anything we want to. All we have to do is set our minds to it and make it happen.
Today, we had more reinforcement of that concept. We now have a vehicle which has proven itself worthy of going to Mars. Truly, the first earthlings who will be Martians are currently walking among us now. It is a very exciting thought to be thinking we may soon explore Mars.
My wife and I would like to know, however, where is our jetcar?
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©2014 J. Clark
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