Fifty years ago, this summer, the United States successfully landed a spacecraft with human astronauts on the Moon. I remember that event clearly. I watched the figure of Neil Armstrong, on our black and white television, descend the stairway from the spacecraft and make his foot print on the lunar surface with his quote.
“ That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
The Apollo 11 mission with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins was a great experience in American history.
It was all very exciting. Television news anchor Walter Cronkite narrated this event as if it was a holy encounter.
Perhaps, in many respects-it was a holy encounter. Humankind venturing from the earth and traveling to another part of the solar system. Indeed, this encounter appeared to spark the divine in reality.
However, at the same time, I remember people saying why are we spending all of this money to send people into outer space when we have so many problems here on earth that need attention including poverty and mass starvation ? People were beginning to be concerned about the phenomena of “ space junk. “ circulating around in the atmosphere.
Now, its fifty years later and I can’t help but wonder if there is still validity to this observation. I concur that the space program has brought about a lot of new information about the galaxy and has helped tremendously with regard to medical research and creating interventions like mechanical robots which can detonate bombs that could potentially kill people.
As we observe this important milestone regarding space travel and the advancement of solar flight, we are presently observing environmental and human tragedy in India.
In early June 2019, an intense heatwave scorched northern India. Some regions experienced temperatures surpassing 45°C (113°F) for the better part of three weeks. On June 10, Delhi reached its hottest day on record for the month, reaching 48°C (118°F).
In 2019, sparse rainfall during the pre-monsoon season, along with a delayed monsoon, have made the heat more unbearable. Monsoon weather has been running about a week late in its journey across the southeast Bay of Bengal. Monsoon rains finally arrived in parts of southern India around June 8 (about seven days later than usual). Delhi has also experienced some temperature dips due to rain on June 11-12, as well as a dust storm. However, monsoon season may not fully develop in north or central India until early July(later than normal).
Heatwave in India – NASA Earth Observatory
Of course, this erratic in temperature pattern of weather has not been limited to India, both France and Germany have also been subjected to unusually hotter weather the past few months. These atmospheric conditions can have devastating consequences on agriculture, animal population and quality of life for humans, especially regarding access to clean water.
What would happen if NASA turned its attention to tackling the ever- growing pernicious reality of global warming on our planet ? What would happen if instead of looking into the skies, we looked back to the earth and we looked into one another’s eyes regarding how we can achieve a healthy sustainability for all who live on our planet and who call the Earth home ?
We need to be more careful regarding how we treat this globe because if we don’t, our rock in the solar system is going to resemble looking more like the lunar surface with a lot of pock marks.
We deserve a better life on this planet for us.
Our children and grand-children deserve a better future for the Earth.
We don’t need to burn up and be incinerated.
We can, and we must change our course now.
Life for us and for future generations depends upon it.
May it be so.