A Love Letter to NASA
Good evening from the Philippines!
A few days ago my family borrowed a projector from the local school, and we had a family movie night. We watched The Martian. It was probably my sixth time viewing this piece of cinematic artwork, since it premiered. Matt Damon, my crush since the early 2000’s (I can’t believe it’s 2016), does a fabulous job playing an astronaut alone on Mars.
This film, along with a series of books (Leaving Orbit-Margaret Lazarus and Of a Fire on the Moon-Norman Mailer) has inspired in me, an uncontrollable space obsession. Like most kids I always had a fascination with space. I remember sitting with my mom, and listing off all of the random space-themed facts I had collected over a day in science class. She asked me if I wanted to be an astronomer, and I said no, of course not. I wanted to play soccer. All of this being said, hundreds of thoughts about: space, the universe, astronauts, regret about not trying harder in science class, and the Journey to Mars project have been bouncing around in my head for weeks.
I had to do something about it, so I wrote a letter to NASA, specifically to the Astronaut Selection Office. I am not sure what I expected in return, probably an email accepting my application to the Astronaut program…but they were kind enough to email me back, and thank me for my interest in their work. It will come as a surprise to many, but stumbling through math and science classes (in high school and college) does not actually make you an attractive astronaut candidate. Michael Collins (Apollo 11) was able to do complex math problems in his head (specifically orbital-science and gravitational adjustment problems). I can’t say that I am on par with that level of intellect, though I want to be.
When I was walking home from the university a few days ago, I was accompanied by one of the students that I work with. Around thirty minutes into the trek, we walked by a church. She asked me if I believe in God (a god or many gods). People ask me this almost everyday, but as of recently I have started to give an honest answer. I told her that I do not, that I am an atheist. After five of so minutes of explaining what that means, she expressed concern for my soul. She wanted me to know that I wasn’t going to make it into Heaven.
While her concern was well intentioned, I wanted to make this conversation worthwhile. So, I prompted her with questions about what she knew about evolution, and the universe. Mind you, they don’t teach much, if any of this in school. She was a bit confused about the entire notion of evolution. She didn’t understand how we could have existed without a deity intervening.
Almost 50 years ago, Norman Mailer was contemplating what it would mean for Aldrin and Armstrong if they were to die on the moon. He and many others wondered if their souls would be trapped in the lunar vacuum (It’s amazing to think about how much science and thought have progressed). Even though Norman was a chauvinist; I can’t deny that he was a great writer. This is what he wrote after he finished interviewing the astronauts, a week before launch:
“…they embarked on odysseys whose success or failure was so far from being entirely in their own control that they must be therefore fatalistic, yet the effort was enterprising beyond the limits of the imagination. They were patriots, but they were moon-men.”
Mailer would never have admitted this out loud, but it clear from his writing that he was jealous of the astronauts. He wasn’t sure what would happen to them, or their souls, but he respected them.
I feel a great sense of loss and frustration that children around the world miss out on experiencing a proper education: where they will get the chance to learn about space, evolution, and the universe. It’s important to note that most, if not all of my students are never encouraged to think creatively or dream. By the end of my walk, we had not only covered a conversation about religion, but also one about: gravity, tides, Mars, and the International Space Station (ISS). I promised to set up a stream of live video from the ISS.
I am glad that every once in a while I am presented with an opportunity to have a conversation that pushes the boundaries of societal expectations, in my country of service. I am not trying to spread atheism, that’s not my job. However, I am doing my best to inspire kids to be interested in math and science. That way, they will be able to make an educated assessment of what it means to be part of the greater solar system, and universe.
In summation, I may not be a great Astronaut candidate, but I do think that the folks at NASA would be proud. Now I just need to look for a job that fits within my skill-set…
