Crossing the Threshold

20/07/2026

Now 57 years ago on this date:

On this 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon, it is worth recalling how seeing the Earth from space affected the astronauts. As Buzz Aldrin pointed out "For forty-nine months between 1968 and 1972 two dozen Americans had the great good fortune to briefly visit the Moon. Half of us became the first emissaries from Earth to tread its dusty surface. We who did so were privileged to represent the hopes and dreams of all humanity. For mankind it was a giant leap, for a species that evolved from the stone age to create sophisticated rockets and spacecraft that made a Moon landing possible. For one crowning moment, we were creatures of the cosmic ocean, an epoch that a thousand years hence may be seen as the signature of our century." James B. Irwin, Apollo 15 mission astronaut, described the experience: "As we got further and further away, [the Earth] diminished in size. Finally it shrank to the size of a marble, the most beautiful you can imagine. That beautiful, warm, living object looked so fragile, so delicate, that if you touched it with a finger it would crumble and fall apart. Seeing this has to change a man." From Crossing the Threshold: "Those of us not so privileged to directly view the earth from space have a glimpse of that experience when we look at photographs of the Earth in space. As Aldrin says, we are 'creatures of the cosmic ocean.' Those of us who feel that truth, cross a threshold of awareness of our place in the cosmos" and of our interconnectedness.

Astronauts who have looked down at planet Earth from the stillness of space often describe the moment as a life-changing experience.

20/07/2026

On this 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon, it is worth recalling how seeing the Earth from space affected the astronauts. As Buzz Aldrin pointed out "For forty-nine months between 1968 and 1972 two dozen Americans had the great good fortune to briefly visit the Moon. Half of us became the first emissaries from Earth to tread its dusty surface. We who did so were privileged to represent the hopes and dreams of all humanity. For mankind it was a giant leap, for a species that evolved from the stone age to create sophisticated rockets and spacecraft that made a Moon landing possible. For one crowning moment, we were creatures of the cosmic ocean, an epoch that a thousand years hence may be seen as the signature of our century." James B. Irwin, Apollo 15 mission astronaut, described the experience: "As we got further and further away, [the Earth] diminished in size. Finally it shrank to the size of a marble, the most beautiful you can imagine. That beautiful, warm, living object looked so fragile, so delicate, that if you touched it with a finger it would crumble and fall apart. Seeing this has to change a man." From Crossing the Threshold: "Those of us not so privileged to directly view the earth from space have a glimpse of that experience when we look at photographs of the Earth in space. As Aldrin says, we are 'creatures of the cosmic ocean.' Those of us who feel that truth, cross a threshold of awareness of our place in the cosmos" and of our interconnectedness.

12/04/2026

On this date in 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first person to enter space. He was launched on Vostok 1 and completed one orbit of Earth, with his flight taking 108 minutes. This was a phenomenal achievement that kicked the "space race" between the US and the USSR into high gear, leading to the US Apollo program to land people on the Moon.
Also on this date, in 1983, the Space Shuttle Columbia launched on its maiden flight to space. It was the first of 135 Space Shuttle flights.

Explore the comprehensive history of the Soviet space program, from Sputnik to Mir. Discover the cosmonauts, spacecraft, and achievements that defined an era.