Happy Moon Landing Anniversary

Today is the 39th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Given that this anniversary is not a multiple of 5, the milestone has not gained much attention this year. Expect the documentaries, magazine features, and interviews to be out in full force next year for the 40th, along with the obligatory Woodstock nostalgia-fest. In many ways it seems like the 60s are back considering this year's obsession with 1968 and the inevitable comparisons in the fields of politics, culture, and sports.

Not being around in 1969 for the moon landing, it is hard to grasp what the atmosphere and drama was like at the time, an episode in history when the whole world looked up with awe and amazement. In some ways, I must admit that I'm jealous I wasn't around for it. It is hard to believe that there was a time and event that could link people and cultures across the world for something so very positive and enriching. That "small step" was a true celebration of humanity.

In our own somewhat troubled and uncertain era (by no means as volatile or transformative as the 1960s) it is still comforting to be able to look back to a period in our history when our country struggled and still came out on top. We now take the moon landings for granted, but when President Kennedy made a commitment to reach the moon by the end of the decade, some at NASA and in the space community essentially freaked out, believing that such a goal within that time frame was nearly impossible. Others embraced the task at hand and got to work. As it turned out, the good folks at NASA were able to do it with 5 months to spare, despite many setbacks and challenges:


The success of NASA in putting a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s has served as a strong analogy for many policymakers today who have made calls to find new ways of providing alternative energy for our country. The moon landings were proof that with political will, sufficient funding, and a "think outside the box" mentality, anything could be accomplished. Last year while speaking about finding solutions to climate change, Gov. Bill Richardson said, "When John F. Kennedy challenged this country to reach the moon, he challenged us to get there in 10 years, not 20 or 30 or 40.” It is this sort of urgent thinking that is needed to ween our country off its addiction to oil in order to find sustainable ways to power our country and the planet.

So while there have been the Obama-JFK comparisons on style and attitude, perhaps the best Kennedy-esque element a President Obama could bring to the White House is a similar sense of urgency and national unity to address the pressing challenges of our time. That would be something to truly celebrate next year on the 40th anniversary.