NASA's 60th birthday

I've been looking forward to the 60th birthday for this science giant ever since May.
I had not realized that less than six months separated our ages.
At least, I was not aware of that until my lunch with Astronaut Duffy.
Ever since then, I've been awaiting October 1st.
Sure, President Eisenhower had signed it into existence on July 29, 1958, with The National Aeronautics and Space Act, so that date has some great significance, too.
However, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration did not become operational until October 1, 1958.
That's four months and three days after I became operational.
(smile)

Like me, its heart is in science.
"How" and "Why" and "What" are very important words for us scientists.
Those questions were the heart of the documentary I saw on Wednesday.
I had traveled to the "Sea Turtle" Cinemark in Bluffton for the one-night screening of "Above And Beyond: NASA's Journey To Tomorrow". The synopsis read that the new film "celebrates NASA’s many accomplishments in space and catapults viewers forward to where it’s headed" - definitely sounded 'right up my alley', as Jim Reed would say.
The film, its description read, also "examines the extraordinary ways NASA has changed not only our vision of the universe, but also our planet, and ourselves."
Somehow, I missed the gravitas present in those words.
The seriousness of the film came home as I sat in the darkness of the cinema.
I had not known of the Earth Observing System before this. The series of satellites are used to monitor the atmosphere, the oceans, and the land surfaces. These instruments have been sharing date with the world since 1997 - that's 21 years.
That data has confirmed the hole in the ozone layer, the dying of coral reefs, global warming and the melting of glacial ice - detrimental changes to Earth, all directly attributable to humanity's actions.
The three questions that drive science forward were the invisible underpinning for every one of the images on the screen.
How has humanity come so far in its blind destruction of this precious Earth, this one life-sustaining planet in all the vast, deep, emptiness of our Milky Way galaxy?
Why has humanity turned a blind eye to all the cold, hard evidence that the release of extreme amounts of carbon dioxide (by the burning of fossil fuels) at the greatly increased pace of the past few decades has done so much harm to the fragile atmosphere which protects life on Earth?
What will humanity do to save Earth?
Wow.
I was moved to action, to post on facebook my thoughts, political as they were.
I never speak of such things on that social media, but I was compelled.
That is how seriously I believe in the film's message.

*****
I drove over to Bluffton's Cinemark to see "Above And Beyond: NASA's Journey To Tomorrow". I had expected something upbeat and celebratory, for its 60th birthday. Instead, the documentary has a message from the space scientists to the world: Please stop burning fossil fuels or they won't have a planet to return to in the future.
Wow.
They're absolutely correct. All buildings should be powered by alternate means - wind, solar, hydro. Industrial complexes would be included. That would make an incredible difference and would have happened forty years ago if our government had not put the kibbosh on it.
All vehicles should burn cleanly and use minimal amounts of gas, no matter the size.
It really broke my heart to see the evidence they have seen for years, evidence which has been ignored by the lawmakers who could have made the difference for these past forty years.
Election time is rolling around folks. Vote to defend our life-giving Earth.
*****

That post has generated quite a bit of attention, with some wanting to point fingers at the politicians and lawmakers.
That's rather missing the point.
The fingers need to be pointed at all of us of voting age.
The government of the United States of America did not get to this point by itself.
Its citizens who have not exercised their voting rights have contributed to the dire state of our nation and the current condition of our Earth's existence.
I admit to being far too lackadaisical in my voting habits, but I vow to do better.
I do.

My friend Yvonne seems to be tuned in to my channel.
She wrote: "Louis and I went to the lecture at the Creative Coast given by a NASA Ambassador. It was excellent but my take away was they are already planning a Mars settlement so they must know that there's no hope for this planet.....too many climate change deniers out there and too much greed....a disastrous combination."
I have written a response to clarify for her, and for everyone else who reads my post.
"The mission to Mars has been in the works for quite some time and is still a decade away from launch. The Kennedy Space Center has an entire building devoted to raising awareness and interest in the elementary students of today as they will be the ones on those Martian journeys. Meanwhile, changes are needed NOW to make sure those astronauts will have a home planet still alive and waiting for them."

Elections are coming and every vote counts.

Earth - our oasis in space, where the air is free and breathing in easy.
Let's keep it that way.