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July/August 2009
VOLUME L NUMBER 4
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A LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
This issue of SPAN celebrates the 40th anniversary of the day human beings first landed on the moon. Although long before the day of global satellite television, Americans and many others throughout the world watched U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin with awe. "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," said Armstrong, as he descended from his spacecraft on July 20, 1969. Check out the grainy video and space-guy jargon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCt1BwWE2gA
The Apollo 11 mission's achievement was the result of nearly a decade of work by thousands of scientists, engineers, pilots and others. Everyone who saw it take place immediately understood the meaning of "a historic moment."
In the four decades since then there have been other visits to the moon-yet only 12 men have walked upon its surface. Visitors to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum on the Mall in Washington, D.C. still thrill to touching a moon rock and examining Columbia, the Apollo 11 command module that transported the astronauts safely on their journey. A quick Web search will turn up hundreds of celebratory events being planned around the planet.
The photos from space that Apollo 11 and others sent back to Earth were wonderful. The famous "Earth rising" images, taken as lunar orbiters pictured our planet from space, helped launch the contemporary environmental movement. It certainly launched a lot of music, as an American web company has documented.
http://www.moonlightsys.com/themoon/tunes.html
Space travel is a hazardous business, as we have sadly learned over the decades. Although the moment of landing lives in history, Armstrong and Aldrin could not have been sure, as they bounced over the moon's surface, that they would be able to return safely. It had never been done before. They didn't know until they succeeded. SPAN and our readers celebrate that success and eagerly look forward to future space adventures together.
For this issue of SPAN, we have also prepared a series of articles celebrating the diversity and ingenuity of American business people, from shop owners to corporate CEOs. We hope you will find interesting the profiles of American entrepreneurs from many backgrounds who have used their unique life experiences to solve problems, dream big dreams and provide services and products to their customers. Many have an Indian connection, too. We are also presenting articles on literature, travel, religion and art that develop this theme of America's diversity. On American Independence Day, July 4, the crown of the Statue of Liberty was reopened for visitors for the first time in eight years. Climb all the way to the top-that's also an adventure! If you visit New York City, this year or any year, we hope you will enjoy climbing to the top of America's offer of freedom and opportunity-a site that never ceases to thrill. The Statue of Liberty reminds Americans that they are a nation of immigrants, "Give me your…huddled masses yearning to breathe free.... I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
http://www.libertystatepark.com/emma.htm
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