A GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND
Buzz Aldrin poses on the Moon allowing Neil Armstrong to photograph both of them using the visor's reflection [link].
July 20, 2009:
SPACE STATION TOILET BREAKS DOWN
The main toilet has broken down on the International Space Station (ISS), currently home to a record 13 astronauts, NASA said [link].
Contrast-
1) We reach, and walk on, the moon.
2) The toilet is broken.
It amuses me to think that anyone who has needed a plumber in the past week or so is suddenly feeling a strong burst of empathy towards astronauts they would normally ignore.
Granted, it has been several decades of space travel we've witnessed, and we are getting used to hearing about astronauts. In fact, we are getting used to not hearing about astronauts. Nothing exciting and new there. Nothing amusing or attention-grabbing.
Who, of the regular folk, cares about things going well in space anymore?
So when the next big story on astronauts, space travel, or understanding the universe makes it as a headline in my generic newsfeed- will it make me think of the swimming pool scene in "Caddyshack" ? or will my thoughts once again be challenged to reach into or beyond this galaxy and towards a grander arena of scientific understanding?
I hope for the latter, but I've got $20 on Bill Murray.
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