The Passing of an American Icon

     While I cannot claim to be an expert on NASA, or space travel, or even American History.  I know that the passing of Neil Armstrong is a tragic loss to Americana.  Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, passed away today at the age of 82.  At least in part, he represents what makes America great and what made America the world power it was during the cold war. 

     I was still 19 years away from being born when Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon, but from the accounts I have heard from friends and family, it was a spectacle to behold.  There are very few moments in history that people can say: "I know where I was when..."  In my lifetime, there have only been a few: 9/11 and the capture and death of Osama bin Laden.  Even with those two events everyone will likely have a different answer.  For example, when the events of 9/11 happened, I was in school and did not find out about it until the bus ride home from other students who had found out during the day.  For the death of bin Laden I was at home watching a Mets vs Phillies game on TV when the news broke.  Unlike those two events, I daresay everyone will likely have the same answer.  Everyone was watching the live broadcast of legendary broadcaster Walter Cronkite narrate the events of Apollo 11's lunar landing while Neil Armstrong delivered the famous line "one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." 

     It's always interesting to think of those iconic words.  In an era so dominated by US/Soviet tension there are many other things Armstrong could have said.  I mean after all, the Soviets did beat the US into space which I can imagine did not sit well with the powers that be at NASA.  So beating them to the moon, it would have been understandable for Armstrong to take the more playful approach and say something along the lines of "take that Commies."  Obviously such behavior would have been inappropriate and immature with the whole world watching, but I can only assume that someone in mission control said something similar.  He even could have said "America" or "Americans" rather than "mankind."  But no, he knew that this was a life changing event for all of human civilization, regardless of political, religious, or sociological ideals.

     Then there's the phrase itself.  As typically written: "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."  It's a contradiction.  "For man" refers to mankind, so its both a small step and a giant leap for mankind.  However, in later years Armstrong said that he insists he said "for a man" and that the static and transmission omitted the "a."  I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, seeing as how I lose an FM radio signal outside of maybe 30-40 miles and the moon is 238,900 miles away.  I'm surprised we heard anything.
 
     He was listed in a 2010 survey as the #1 most popular space hero.  He has been honored with several medals, and awards, and honors.  He even gave an interview in 2010 at age 80 that he would captain a manned mission to Mars if he was asked.  That's dedication.  Unfortunately he didn't live that long, and I'm sure they would not have asked him to, but what a story line that would have been.

     While we wont have that manned mission to Mars captained by Armstrong, we'll have to remember him for all that he did for the space program and for American history, which is nothing short of amazing.

     Rest in peace Neil Armstrong, I hope the trip to heaven proves to be "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."  Every time we take a look at the full moon and see the man in the moon staring back at us, we'll now know that that is just a portrait of you, forever etched in the night sky.

RIP

Neil Armstrong

Aug. 5, 1930 - Aug. 25, 2012