Apollo 11 Essay
Apogee
"Not since Adam has any human known such solitude as Mike Collins is experiencing during this 47 minutes of each lunar revolution when he's behind the Moon with no one to talk to except his tape recorder aboard Columbia."
-Apollo 11 Mission Control
On July 20th, 1969, at 13:46 UTC, the Apollo 11 Lunar Module "Eagle", separates from its parent craft, the Command Module "Columbia", and with two of our nations finest pilots- two astronauts- aboard begins its decent toward the lunar surface. The media turns its attention toward the small capsule headed toward our silver satellite quite literally faster than a speeding bullet. All but a few forget about Major General Michael Collins, who continues to soar high above the surface of our moon, and even higher, even farther from home than any man in history. As his vessel's miniscule silhouette is eclipsed behind the moons enormous umbra, so too is his vital role, his fame and glory eclipsed by those of Officer Neil Armstrong and Colonel Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. …show more content…
While his comrades make history, Collins' deeds, his words, his accomplishments are forgotten by nearly all but himself. This is his experience during the first lunar landing.
It's dark; however it's very different from ordinary darkness.
Darkness is much like silence; an absence of light. Behind the Moon, though, its much closer to lights opposite. It’s a tangible substance which engulfs the orbiter and annihilates light. Aboard Columbia, however, what little light is created is cold, unalive; and the few sounds which surround him are the sounds of silence. It's lonely, and so is Michael. There's a great deal more room without Buzz or Neil, but an even greater lack of conversation. Loneliness is a lot like silence and darkness in that sense. Loneliness implies there are people, but not with you. On a deserted isle, you may be far from people, but they're there. They can make contact. But behind the moon it's a different story. There aren't people, they cannot make contact. Loneliness is a lack of company. But to know what its like for companionship to be entirely non-present, as Collins knew it, is to be well and truly
alone.
While Armstrong and Aldrin took Collins' glory on Apollo 11, and the crew of Apollo 13 would take his record for highest altitude above Earth just one year later, Collins continues to hold one very real title. For 21 hours he orbited our only natural satellite by his self, and he was lonely. But for a few 47 minute periods, when he drifted behind the moon, he knew, for the first time since Adam walked the Earth, how it felt to be utterly alone.
"Not since Adam has any human known such solitude as Mike Collins is experiencing during this 47 minutes of each lunar revolution when he's behind the Moon with no one to talk to except his tape recorder aboard Columbia."
-Apollo 11 Mission Control
On July 20th, 1969, at 13:46 UTC, the Apollo 11 Lunar Module "Eagle", separates from its parent craft, the Command Module "Columbia", and with two of our nations finest pilots- two astronauts- aboard begins its decent toward the lunar surface. The media turns its attention toward the small capsule headed toward our silver satellite quite literally faster than a speeding bullet. All but a few forget about Major General Michael Collins, who continues to soar high above the surface of our moon, and even higher, even farther from home than any man in history. As his vessel's miniscule silhouette is eclipsed behind the moons enormous umbra, so too is his vital role, his fame and glory eclipsed by those of Officer Neil Armstrong and Colonel Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. …show more content…
While his comrades make history, Collins' deeds, his words, his accomplishments are forgotten by nearly all but himself. This is his experience during the first lunar landing.
It's dark; however it's very different from ordinary darkness.
Darkness is much like silence; an absence of light. Behind the Moon, though, its much closer to lights opposite. It’s a tangible substance which engulfs the orbiter and annihilates light. Aboard Columbia, however, what little light is created is cold, unalive; and the few sounds which surround him are the sounds of silence. It's lonely, and so is Michael. There's a great deal more room without Buzz or Neil, but an even greater lack of conversation. Loneliness is a lot like silence and darkness in that sense. Loneliness implies there are people, but not with you. On a deserted isle, you may be far from people, but they're there. They can make contact. But behind the moon it's a different story. There aren't people, they cannot make contact. Loneliness is a lack of company. But to know what its like for companionship to be entirely non-present, as Collins knew it, is to be well and truly
alone.
While Armstrong and Aldrin took Collins' glory on Apollo 11, and the crew of Apollo 13 would take his record for highest altitude above Earth just one year later, Collins continues to hold one very real title. For 21 hours he orbited our only natural satellite by his self, and he was lonely. But for a few 47 minute periods, when he drifted behind the moon, he knew, for the first time since Adam walked the Earth, how it felt to be utterly alone.