NASA, we hardly knew ye

I have to take a respite from all this gas talk. I’m slowly going bald, not from genetics, but from constantly grabbing handfuls of my lush locks and yanking. Anytime a politician opens his or her mouth brings me one step closer to the “Hair Club for Men.”

I stumbled on a documentary the other night called, “When We Left Earth.” It was the first installment of a 3 part series dedicated to our space program. The show brought me back to a time when America was proud and nothing seemed impossible.

I got a kick out of seeing old mission control footage with all the engineers smoking around sensitive and giant computers. They had more butts going than a rap video. I guess back then even our computers were tougher.

In the 60s I think every kid wanted to be an astronaut, and we assumed, by the time we were adults, we’d have colonies in space. I Remember “Star Trek” even though I wasn’t a Trekkie, the “Jetsons” were more my flavor because robots did all the work. As silly as that thought is, I believed, back then, it was going to happen. I bet Captain Kirk fans thought one day they’d be beamed up or travel at light speed to another galaxy. Thoughts like that seemed normal when the American Space Program captured our minds and left no doubt that we were on the fast track to the final frontier.

Back then, America was in a race for its life and your politics didn’t matter because you rooted for the home team. The Soviet Union played the roll of Darth Vader (before Darth Vader) and every citizen knew, whoever controlled space, controlled the world.

In 1962 President John Kennedy said, "We choose to go to the moon! We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things - not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

Read the last line again and think about Kennedy’s words. What a concept, huh, because they are HARD. Where did that America go?

I watched that documentary and kept asking myself that question. I mean, we sent men up in nothing more than a missile with a seat attached on top and then 7 short years later we stepped on the moon. Son, that was HARD, but we met the challenge.

However, NASA wasn’t all rosy, brave men died and missions failed, but America had the stomach for such casualties (and the wallet too.) Going to the moon wasn’t just a, “by golly what a neat thing to do.” It was something that had to be done before the Ruskies got there first.

Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think Congress argued over American space travel. Sure we had protest in the streets about Vietnam and Civil Rights. The decade saw more than its fair share of violence. We witnessed assassinations, bombings, and fire hoses. Let’s not forget the counter culture that, “Turned on, tuned in, and dropped out.” But even as black clouds hung over America, we had this brilliant ray of sunshine that tanned our hearts with unbridled patriotism, which wasn’t conservative or liberal, rich or poor. In fact, the only finger pointing done towards the space program, was the index finger standing straight up in the universal sign for, “We’re number one.” What a time to be alive, but more significantly, what a time to be an American. We did something HARD and we did it TOGETHER.

NASA lost its POP when moon launches became mundane with ordinary missions. Like Americans always do, we lost interest. I guess we had a Super Bowl type hangover, which left us with a feeling of what’s next? We already did the impossible.

I can’t help but think that’s what we’re missing in America today. We need the next impossible to unite us. One would think this oil mess would bring all sides together, but it’s just an arguing point that divides us. Perhaps we’ve become cynical, maybe angry, I don’t know, but whatever you call it, we can agree it’s sad that nothing rallies our imagination anymore.

I understand we live in a different age. And I’ve almost come to the conclusion that too much of a good thing is bad. The Internet bloggers (oops, that’s me) along with 24 hour news channels, and talk radio. All three are filled with experts talking at each other rather than to each other. Big difference. Nobody will shut up long enough to hear. The nation has turned into my side and your side and neither side gets anything done.

Until we get out of this, “you’re more-wronger-than-me,” attitude this country will never capture another moment of marvel like the early days of NASA.

Next month will be the 39^th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s moonwalk. If you want a treat and relive what I’m talking about, tune into the Discovery channel at nine o’clock this Sunday.

What a time to be alive, but more significantly, what a time to be an American.