One small step to secure

Harry Scherer
Class of 2022

(7/2019) Curiosity about space travel is indicative of broader internal human considerations concerning the limits of human physical ability. The sentiment used to be "if we can fly a man to the moon, what can we not do?" Now, the question has shifted to "if we cannot fly a man to Mars, what can we do?" It is natural for us to seek for higher, wider and greater pursuits if the achievement of these dreams leads to human glory.

Many Americans remember the day that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon on July 20, 1969 as a triumphant day for the country. On an anecdotal level, my mother remembers the day as a young girl: "I remember looking up into the sky to try and see them landing on the moon." The innocence and wonder which went along with this action was probably applicable to many Americans, even adults, who were awe-inspired by the notion that human beings were capable of flying to the moon.

The amazement that necessarily went along with this event points to a powerful metaphysic regarding the relationship between man and the moon. The star is the primary light for man in the darkness of night. The moon, a reflection of light from the sun, reminds us that the possibility of a new day is on the horizon.

The moon also has religious significance which can feed the wonder and amazement of the unique event. In Christianity, the moon is the footstool for the woman described in Revelation: "And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (12:1). The woman, in this particular section of the Scripture, is seen as a symbol for Israel. This parallel requires a look into Genesis, a book prayed with and studied by both Christians and Jews, in which Joseph has a dream during which "the sun, the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to [him]" (37:9). This dream served as a prefigurement from the Almighty that Joseph would be the leader of the Jewish people.

From both a metaphysical and religious perspective, the moon has significance beyond mere astronomy. Archbishop Fulton Sheen, a person to whom I often look for deeper understanding, wisely said, "God who made the sun, also made the moon. The moon does not take away from the brilliance of the sun. All its light is reflected from the sun." When we look to the moon, we look to the creation of God, an object which is present to remind us of essential realities like hope and complementarity.

However, on the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, the perception of Americans with regard to space exploration seems to have shifted. Recently, engagement with the discovery of new objects in space and the technology to travel to these locations seems to have been limited to the persons who are making these discoveries and a small subset of interested astrophiles on social media. Just in recent months, the tide of interest in space seems to have expanded to a national intrigue from the lens of the White House. In the beginning of March 2019, Vice President Mike Pence said that "before the year is out, President Trump will launch the sixth branch of our Armed Forces, the United States Space Force."

The way in which the government and civilians look at space is different than the perspective of the late 1960’s. The momentous moon landing was a "first" for space travel, sparking an imaginative edge for adults and children alike. Now, space is viewed as battlefield. The "race to space" in the 60’s was the early and adulterated version of space conflict. NASA was formed as an independent agency of the federal government. Conversely, the Space Force will be formed as a member organization of the Armed Forces. The reaction to form the body as a fighting power would likely be seen as a response to the emerging threats from adversarial powers. In June 2018, Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said, "Russia and China continue to launch ‘experimental’ satellites that conduct sophisticated on-orbit activities, at least some of which are intended to advance counterspace capabilities." In other words, adversaries are building technologies not for the purpose of furthering space exploration, but to destroy the technologies built by their enemies, in this case the United States.

Because the area of space is no longer a playground for astronauts, but rather a battlefield for soldiers, the wonder which accompanies space travel is tarnished by the global competition for this real estate. Now, the race to space is not about mere occupation, but about dominance. Those who rightly fear rapid globalization should also be wary of the accelerating competition between global powers to assert dominance in space. Western powers would benefit themselves and the world by coming behind the originator of space travel, the United States, in this race for space power. Otherwise, the spoils are left in the hands of erratic and dangerous communist powers like Russia and China.

Since America led one small step for man and a giant leap for mankind, many other nations have climbed onto that leap. Because the States took credit for this great achievement, it is her responsibility to secure the safety and stability of those who could be harmed by foreign powers from space. As has been analyzed, space, particularly the moon, is of social, metaphysical and political importance to persons and nations. It is the growing responsibility of nations to look beyond emerging domestic and even international issues and look up. Because of anatomical design, human beings have the unique ability to look straight up into the sky. The ability to look up at the wonderful creation of God is no less powerful today than it was in 1969 and should be considered a privilege to be marvel and protect that which God has given us.

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