Do You Remember the Moon Walk?

I was eight years of age when Neill Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins landed on the moon and Neil Armstrong took that most famous of steps and said the immortal words “One small step for man, one Giant leap for mankind”.  I can’t say as I remember where I was but I don’t imagine that I saw it live for I was probably tucked up in bed. I do remember seeing it though, probably in news programs after the event.

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The moon landing is an epic part of 20th Century history. The images and the quote iconic. Western Society had thumped the Soviets in the space race thouroughly and science fact had caught up with science fiction. Move over Flash Gordon For some real life astronauts.

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At the time I dont think I understood the buzz of excitment surrounding the event. It is strange to think that you are alive at a momentous moment in the history of humankind but it really means nothing to you. I could not understand the big deal really and wondered would the man in the moon mind the intrusion.

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They were asking on a radio program was space travel obsolete and were people no longer interested? i dont think so. The idea of space travel and exploration has always held a particular fascination for people and some of the best stories I have ever read have been sci/fi. I am thinking of people like Mary Shelly, H.G Wells, Jules Verne and George Orwell. Then more recent people like Douglas Adams and Arthur C Clarke. The next project will be a manned flight to Mars and science fact will once more catch up with science fiction. Man as a species is too imaginative to remain grounded