I still remember the shock of this event – I was a senior in high school and my English teacher arranged for us to watch the launch live. When the shuttle blew, we sat there in silence for a few minutes – the only sound was Ms. Hilton, crying. She understood immediately the meaning of it. We were slower to grasp the fact that seven people had just lost their lives on live television.
Ed Morrissey has some insight into growing up NASA. I can’t claim that I did, but my father also worked on the space program, back in the day. Specifically, on the Saturn V rockets that pushed Neil Armstrong to the moon. The memorabilia from that time in his life – a big, red book with the names of everyone involved in the project, a copy of which is in the Smithsonian, a rocket decanter that had held a bottle of champagne and that played a tune, and a few other items – are treasured artifacts in our family. No, he wasn’t a bigwig on the project – although he did suggest a design change that improved performance and saved $300k, a lot of money in those days – but even to have been a small cog in that huge machine was an honor.
It was a huge thrill for me, decades later, the first time I went to Stennis Space Center to teach a computer class to – get this! – actual rocket scientists! Silly, perhaps, but there it is. My daughter and my brother attended Space Camp in Huntsville. We love NASA and the fact that it’s been so politicized over global warming is sad. I’m glad there’s finally starting to be a little pushback against it.
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their measuring line goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
(Psalms 19:1-14)
