“Imagine Being Michael Collins...”
By Eric 'Renderking' Fisk - July 20th,
2008
Doug
Palumbo - Webhead on our The Electric Speakeasy - and I were having
a conversation this week about how little people know about really
big historical figures from the past few decades. It's frustrating
to say the least, since "history" has been relegated to old issues
of "People Magazine." We also talked about how some so-called Space
Enthusiasts don't know important names like Michael Collins.
What? You don't know who Michael Collins is? Hold on a minute...
I'm not writing about the Revolutionary Hero from Ireland who's
life was depicted in the motion picture staring Liam Neelson. I'm
writing to you about the astronaut, the man who flew with Buzz
Aldrin and Neil Armstrong during Apollo 11 during the first lunar
landing...
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From Wikipedia:
The Apollo 11 mission was the first manned mission to
land on the Moon. It was the fifth human spaceflight of
Project Apollo and the third human voyage to the Moon.
Launched on July 16, 1969, it carried Commander Neil
Alden Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins
and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Eugene 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr.
On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans
to land on the Moon, while Collins orbited above. The
mission fulfilled President John F. Kennedy's goal of
reaching the moon by the end of the 1960s, which he
expressed during a 1961 speech:
"I believe that this nation should commit itself
to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of
landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely
to the Earth."
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If
you want Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon or Captain Kirk... look no
further then Mr. Collins. This guy endured and recovered from major
back surgery about a year before his now-famous trek across the void
to our nearest celestial neighbor. During his recovery he worked,
trained, and memorized a manual about the size of a Raymond Chandler
novel to fly something about the size of a mini-van, and do so alone
and with out any back-up help besides a sketchy radio link.
It's hard to imagine anyone being as alone as Michael Collins
after his crew mates left to make their historic foot prints and
literally - as the saying goes - Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone
Before. While Buzz and Neil had all eyes of the world on them, Mr.
Collins piloted the capsule alone. At times the distance between him
and any other human being was further then any of us could imagine.
If were you in a raft stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean,
chances are that you're still closer to another human being then
Michael Collins was during this momentous event. The odds are that
if you were lost anywhere on planet Earth, someone might be able to
find you, or or someone could stumble upon you by accident... But
the odds of someone by chance stumbling across Mr. Collins in the
event that he needed help? Less then zero.
Let me also throw down and say that there are moments when Major
General Collins must have been the bravest person a live at that
moment, and maybe braver then anyone since. Imagine during Buzz and
Neil's trip back from the surface of the moon, and Mr. Collins had
accidently bumped the yoke, a joy-stick or flipped the wrong switch
and he was off course for the rendezvous... Imagine the horror of
seeing your friends fly off into infinity because of a simple
mistake and your own error. Talk about a lot of pressure - you have
to admire someone who can handle it.
NASA: The Best Hero Manufacturing Plant?
I'm
a firm believer in Exploration and traveling to new and wonderful
places. I'm a Retrocentric who can't deny that our life has been
changed for the better thanks to countless technological spin-offs
from the Space Program. Some of you are reading this rant that came
to you from technology that was first developed during the early
years of the Space Program. When human beings are challenged and
face problems, the best of us find new answers and solutions. We
need more of that, more innovation in the areas of recycling and
energy production during this economic crisis.
In the coming years there will be new voyages to the moon, and
beyond to places like Mars and the Moons of Jupiter and Saturn. From
this new determination to return to manned space exploration there
will be even more gadgets and technology, things we can't imagine
today but will be essential and taken for granted in the next few
decades.
But more then that, when humanity explores we create a new
generation of heroes. When Jack Kennedy said we would go to
the moon, there was no shortage of people who lined up to volunteer.
People who could have led successful and safe lives here at home
faced the dangers. There are just some people who instinctively know
that the sweetest fruit is the furthest out on the limb, so to must
be the figurative fruit that's literally beyond the confines of
home. When they go out and endure, we all benefit in some way.
As I write this, I wonder if there are still men (and
women, too) who have what it takes to do what Neil, Buss, and
Michael did 39 years ago. With this age of complacency, materialism
and living vicariously through media - are there still those among
us who would risk life and limb to be the first to set foot on alien
soil or be the support team that tackles the difficult or almost
impossible tasks behind the scenes. I can't imagine passing up the
opportunity to be one of the first persons to go somewhere that
people have dreamt going for ages.
One Other Thing...
When ever you're feeling down and alone, you think that the
problems you face can't be solved, do your self a favor and get some
inspiration from some-one like Michael Collins, someone who really
was alone - more alone then any of could imagine. Sometimes the guy
working by themselves in the background with out any kudos or
attention is one of the most vital players and has an important roll
that is vital in getting something accomplish.
We all have a roll to fill and whether or not you are someone's
"Michael Collins" and with out you they can't get by and do what
they need to do. Don't ever forget that...
