Fifty years ago this week, American astronauts were making history by becoming the first humans to land on the moon. Sitting in a small bungalow in Lavallette, New Jersey, I watched along with my grandmother and an estimated 600 million others across the globe as Neil Armstrong floated off the ladder and became the first person to plant his feet on the moon’s surface.
Thought to be impossible ten years earlier, a giant unified push by government, private industry and the American public made the moon landing achievable. Engineers and scientists developed new technologies and materials, solved old problems and conquered new challenges. It was America working together, America working at its best, and everything was possible.
Something has happened over the last fifty years. Science is no longer believed, technology becomes ever more dominant and our industries, politics and public struggle under the pull of distrust.
Imagine, as a nation if we could again decide everything was possible, it would be a giant leap for mankind!