By PRADOSH C. MOHANTY
IRS (Retd.)
Editorial Advisor
Fifty years ago, on the 20th day of July in 1969, Apollo 11 created the single most profound moment in the history of civilization – pushing the boundaries set by religions, dispelling myths, solving puzzles, creating hysteria, and ushering in the heroic age.
From racial inequality in US that prompted Gil Scott-Heron’s myopic poem “Whitey on the Moon”, to its intense philosophical and existential effects on mankind, Apollo 11 created a tsunami of pride and celebration over its scientific achievement. The creativity and bravado involved in the whole mission was unparalleled in human history. But to consider it as merely a scientific or technological achievement of an audacious standard will mean overlooking the complex legacies of Apollo and its moon-walk. Although, for a moment in time, NASA certainly did the impossible by uniting the humanity in a collective human accomplishment. People looked up at the stars in awe and wonder, reflecting upon their origin and future as they collectively contemplated their place in the cosmos. It triggered a sublime moment for the human race and unity, beyond the cold war and space race.
When the idea of man’s journey to the moon was mooted in 1961, the world neither had the requisite rocket, the spacesuits, computers nor any knowledge of what was needed. There was no microgravity food, the technology for effecting a rendezvous between two high-speed objects in space, the tracking-stations and all this in the midst of physicians’ fears that one cannot ‘think’ in such conditions. But eight years later, innumerable scientists, factory workers, engineers and many laymen worked towards overcoming numerous challenges not knowing whether they would ever find the perfect solutions. A great deal of work was done by hand. The space suits were stitched by women using wire instead of thread, the heat shield was applied by hand – so much so that NASA officials forbade the three staff members, the ones trained to fold and pack the parachutes, to travel together lest there was an accident. This extraordinary accomplishment was made possible by ordinary people taking one small step at a time.
Leaving behind the tragedy of Apollo 1 (in which all the three astronauts died) and the computer-related problems in the lunar module just before moon landing, the astronauts braved the metaphysical condition of their fate. Collins was continually afraid of the possibility that Armstrong and Aldrin might not return from moon. In the command module, Collins, spending few minutes alone when the craft was on the other side of moon and under no contact with NASA, reportedly said, “Not since Adam, has any human known such solitude.”
Bringing back the lunar dust in canisters and in their dress, they were circumspect: “The moon had a smell”. Among other things, they left a plaque “for all mankind” on the surface of moon and a silicon disc with goodwill messages from 73 nations, with the following words, : “HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON, JULY 1969 AD, WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND.”
Seeing the Earth floating alone in space, as shown in a photograph from the moon, was a mind-blowing experience, making the visual an unforgettable icon of humanity, filling one with an overwhelming feeling of love for this planet – a sense of cosmic narcissism never felt before, or after.
The moon-walking was shown live to nearly 800 million people in 73 nations, clearly a world record beating any Super Bowl or World Cup. Later, the crew undertook a 23-country tour, drawing impossibly large crowds. In the city of Mumbai, nearly a million people welcomed the heroes on a sultry afternoon on October 26, 1969. The atmosphere was electric. The intrepid voyagers had searched for truth on this planet and among the stars. Armstrong said that it was the “beginning of an era when man understands the universe around him and the beginning of an era when man understands himself”.
There were many controversies, too. Some shouted on about unnecessary expenses, others made accusations of racial bias, even of religious bigotry. Yet for one priceless moment in the history of humankind, all the people on earth became truly one with the overwhelming spectacle of man walking on the moon.
Since then China and Israel, among others, have jumped into the mission-moon bandwagon. Even India. In the throes of such hair-raising memories, we are sending our Chandrayan-2 this month. Best of luck moon-lookers.
Comment here