Aditya Naik
On September 12, 1962, President John F. Kennedy gave his immortal “We choose to go to the Moon,” speech and changed the course of history. This speech set the United States down the treacherous path of aggressive space exploration. And whether you call it a result of the Cold War or a scientific victory fuelled by the words of an assassinated president, almost seven years later on July 21, 1969, Neil Armstrong said “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” and became the first human to set foot on the surface of the moon, followed by Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin. Fifty-two years later, these words continue to inspire millions around the world, who look up to the sky and see hope for a better future.
Landing on the moon not only led us to know more about it but about the earth as well. The moon rocks collected by the astronauts told the incredible story of how the moon and the earth were formed from a single celestial object named Rhea. It also told us about our solar system and perhaps most importantly, it told us the future of the moon. The astronauts placed retro-reflectors on the surface of the moon and ever since 1969, NASA has been shooting lasers at it and studying the reflected rays. This exceptionally long experiment has proven that the moon is going away from us at the speed of one inch per year. This result may not appear to be significant but the moon’s position in the earth’s orbit is essential for life as we know it since the moon causes tides in the sea. This is what caused life to begin millions of years ago. In a way, the moon dictates what kind of life thrives and which species will go extinct.
Today, in 2021 where the world is rampaged by pandemics and the effects of climate change, space exploration is no longer just a demonstration of scientific prowess or political strength, it is a necessity. Scientists around the world say that we have just a few more decades left before the earth is left uninhabitable by climate change which will not only heat up the planet substantially but also lead to flooding and a severe loss of vegetation across the world. These effects can already be seen today. In times like these, space exploration represents a timely opportunity to start anew and make a better world for future generations on other planets of the solar system and beyond. And hence began the new instalment of the space race where many countries and companies alike have started working towards the common goal of saving mankind by taking it into space. From billionaires making their own spacecraft to organisations like NASA, ESA and ISRO working to put humans on the moon again and eventually colonise mars, never before has the world united in such an endeavour. And if the Apollo 11 has proven anything, it is that once we put our mind to it, we can achieve greatness.
The writer is student of Astrophysics.