Curiosity

Posted by Cait48 August 6, 2012 at 7:35 a.m.

In 1969, on July 21st, man stepped onto the moon for the very first time. People around the world gathered around their TVs to watch the first step. It was a day of celebration that was global. People watched with bated breath until that first step was taken and then there were fireworks, barbecues and the linking of hands in prayers of thanksgiving.
Last night, forty three years and 16 days after the "Eagle" landed, "Curiosity", an incredibly complex spacecraft, landed on Mars. It made global news, nearly knocking the London Olympics off the map. I've been crying off and on since I first heard the news last night. For the first time in a long time, I am proud again to be an American. NASA was gutted under the Bush administration and there was some fear that this would never happen.
Congratulations to NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and CalTech. You've done this country proud.

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Paul Decelles 9 months, 2 weeks ago

Last night or early this morning was pretty exciting. I was amazed at how little media coverage there was about Curiosity. However, as little use as I had for George Bush I am not sure you can lay NASA's budget woes strictly on him.

jhawkinsf 9 months, 2 weeks ago

The statute of limitations on blaming Bush runs until all is right with the world. Until then, everything is his fault.

Frankie8 9 months, 2 weeks ago

This is great. I remember the beginning of the space program very well. NBC covered the events from beginning to end and there were charts in the background showing where the capsule was. This was also when television changed from black and white to color. I remember David Brinkley commenting that now the viewers could see that his eyes were blue. Huntley and Brinkley co-anchors for NBC news. We never missed them. That was also the era of Star Trek a show that was amazing for its time with a senior crew that was very racially mixed with a few aliens because the Federation was made up of a lot of planets not just Earth. That horn call of the first of the show is still to me one of the most evocative sounds ever. Also, I read Bradbury growing up and still want to go to Mars. I love it when the Enterprise leaves spaceport and is free in her element.