On what was the most memorable Christmas Eve of my lifetime, the crew of Apollo 8 orbited the Moon and sent us back live TV from another world.All of the horrible events of the year were forgotten for that one moment. If your skies were clear that night, you went outside, looked up at the Moon, and marveled that there were actually people up there, so very far away.
The footage from their TV broadcast looks washed out and blurry to modern eyes, accustomed to the clarity of high-def TV. But in 1968, it was amazing to see the Moon from 60 miles up in the comfort of our living room.
The best Christmas gift of all was hearing that Apollo 8's engine firing had been successful, sending them back home again.
It was an audacious mission, one calculated to give America an insurmountable lead in the propaganda of the Cold Ward. However, the success completely transcended nationalism and politics, actually bringing humanity closer together rather than widening the distance between us.
1 comment:
Hi! What a trip to the moon that could be... I wish it wasn't so expensive that only millionaires can go see the moon.
Ashra,
Moon Spells its about as far as I'll get LOL
best wishes
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