Just got back from seeing "Apollo 13" at the IMAX theater. I've seen the movie several times. I became a huge fan from the first minutes, when it starts out with a tribute to the astronauts of Apollo 1. I must admit, I get emotional at that point (thought it was a beautiful touch to commemorate Grissom, White, and Chaffee) and I'm teary throughout the rest of the movie. What a concept - people succeeded because they were competent. How refreshing!

One of the things that impresses me the most about "Apollo 13" is the number of men I've seen cry. Even the man next to me tonight cried at the end. And I wonder if these men are engineers? Were they or are they involved in the space program? Do they weep for what we acheived and allowed to slip from our grasps? When will we go back to the Moon? When will we get farther away than just skimming the top of our atmosphere again? I think of the Apollo astronauts and feel we've let them down.

And then I think of all of the people who believe the Moon landing was a hoax. In fact, I read one person's remarks today that he keeps an open mind about those events - maybe we went, maybe we didn't. An open mind? The actuality of the most important event in the history of mankind is something subject to opinion? This line of thought is such an insult to all those involved in the Gemini, Mercury, and Apollo missions. What an incredibly vast conspiracy this would require - secretaries, caterers, suit designers, widget manufacturers, recovery crews, reporters, etc... an insult to all of them.

Will they believe it in a few years when China lands, as they plan to do? Will that convince them?

Maybe we should just go back.

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