At 10:56 p.m. est on July 20, 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong, 240,000 miles from Earth, spoke these words to more than a billion people listening at home:
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
.. and became the first man to walk on the moon.
Ed "Buzz" Aldrin joined him on the moon's surface at 11:11 p.m., and together they took photographs of the terrain, planted a U.S. flag, and ran a few simple scientific tests.
.. and became the first person to hold a religious ceremony on the moon.
Aldrin radioed Earth: "I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours, and to give thanks in his or her own way."
Then he gave himself communion. You wouldn't see this reported, however, because even in 1969 there was commotion from the atheists.
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Having grown up on the Space Coast of Florida, with dad that was empoyed "out at the cape" .. I consider myelf blessed to be considered a bit of a NASA brat.
Admittedly, I cannot watch a launch without the lump in my throat and the tears clouding my vision. During the shuttle launches, I couldn't breath until the solid rocket boosters had fallen away... and will admit, unashamed, that I cried like a baby and couldn't speak for some minutes after STS-135 left the ground on July 8. I'll be crying again as they come home tomorrow.
God Bless the crew, and everyone who made these Shuttle missions possible.
God Bless America.
