The recent tragedy of the space shuttle Columbia has affected and saddened people around the country and around the world. For a moment, though, I would like to reflect on the impact it has had on me, personally, and the impact it has had on our university.
As a kid, I can remember watching the shuttle launches on TV. I can remember counting down with the clock as it approached 00:00:00, and I can remember watching in utter amazement as the shuttle came to life and started to climb up into the sky, leaving behind a trail of fire and smoke.
In first grade, our teacher gathered us around a TV to watch the lift-off of the Challenger. Just as I had done before, I began counting down with the clock and stared wide-eyed at the screen as the shuttle blasted off and began its journey into space. Then, the unthinkable happened, Challenger exploded and disappeared leaving behind nothing but a white cloud.
Since then, I, along with most other people in our nation, have lost the interest and fascination of space exploration as shuttle launches became almost routine and common place. A few weeks ago, though, something happened that regenerated my youthful curiosity with NASA and the space program.
A good friend of mine and fellow NU student, is working on co-op at a research center called CAMMP (Center for Advanced Microgravity Materials Processing), which is a NASA funded Space Research Center and located here in the Egan Center at Northeastern. One day when I asked about her job, she told me how they were working on an experiment that was going to go up on the next space shuttle and that she was going down to Florida and help set up this experiment. When she came back, she told me about how she had gotten to meet some of the astronauts and that watching the Columbia take-off was an amazing experience.
The fact that a friend of mine, and my school, were involved with a mission to space intrigued me. I began to read all the newspaper articles about the flight and read up on all the experiments they were conducting while in orbit.
Last weekend, while I was away on military duty (I am also a reservist in the United States Marine Corp), I heard about how the shuttle exploded during re-entry. The next day, my unit took a moment to stop and remember the crew of Columbia. It was then that I realized that the six Americans on-board were serving their country just like I am serving my country, but their service makes mine look insignificant in comparison. While I am willing to give my life, it is in war, a necessary evil that we would be better off without. On the other hand, those astronauts were willing to give their lives to promote peace and the advancement of scientific knowledge; two of the noblest human endeavors.
My heart goes out to the family and friends of the crew of the Columbia, as well the people at CAMMP, and to my friend. While what happened is a tragedy, those seven astronauts did not die in vain, and it is them, as well as people like them that make our country great.
I am reminded of a speech that was given by President Kennedy back in 1962. In it he said, “Space is there, and we’re going to climb it, and the moon and planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God’s blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.”
The courage, the commitment and the service to their country shown by David Brown, Rick Husband, Laurel Clark, Kaplana Chawla, Michael Anderson, William McCool, and Ilan Ramon are an inspiration and to the crew of Columbia I would like to say thank you, and Semper Fi.
– Robert J. Sharp is a Lance Corporal in
the United States Marine Corps Reserves and a senior Environmental Geology
Environmental Studies major.
