Why We’re Going to Space
December 22, 2021
When my grandfather was about my age, he and a friend went fishing one morning in July. He lived on a lake in Minnesota, so this was a pretty common occurrence. However, on this particular morning one thing was different, they brought an AM/FM radio onto the boat. On a normal morning, fishing is done in silence, but this was not a normal morning. The date was July 16, 1969, and 1,800 miles away we launched Apollo 11 on a journey that would go down as one of mankind’s greatest achievements. I had a chance to ask my grandfather about that experience, and he quietly remarked that even through a little FM radio, he felt the gravity of that moment. After telling me about the broadcast of Apollo 11, he said something that keeps repeating in my head. Between my grandfather and his father, they have witnessed all major advancements in air and space travel. His father was one year old when the Wright brothers flew their first airplane. I am not sure why that feels so significant but there is a strange amount of perspective when you realize that the first flight and the first man on the moon, were only 65 years apart.
After Apollo 11 it was only 7 years before we had probes on Mars, and 6 years after that in 1983 we completed our first space shuttle. In 1990 we launched the Hubble Telescope which allowed us to see deeper into space than ever before. This was followed by 10 years of growth and developments in space travel, until the early 2000’s where we started to wind down on space exploration. Now we live in a time where Space X, Amazon, and other massive companies are fixated on travelling to space. In a few days we will have a new update to this list as the James Webb Space Telescope launches, and will allow us to see even further than before.
This drive to voyage beyond where man has ever been has undoubtedly led to some of the most iconic and passionate music ever created. From “Space Oddity” by David Bowie, to “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen, Space exploration has provided great metaphors and rich symbolism for artists to express the human experience and the need to do more. Only 8 years after the launch of Apollo 11, millions of Americans flooded theaters to see the story of a poor farmer who found himself in a galactic battle between good and evil. This was followed by decades of inspired story telling with the Star Trek saga, Halo, Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar, Rick and Morty, Dr. Who and much much more.
This drive is what lead George Lucas to create an immersive space battle using models and forced perspective. It’s what lead Christopher Nolan to let actual NASA scientists write parts of his script. And it’s what propelled Rian Johnson to create an aggressively mediocre sequel to The Force Awakens.
These stories take place away from earth and are devoid of due dates, petty drama, awkward texts, broken phone chargers, and day to day annoyances. They allow for characters to test themselves, push into the unknown, and peel into the core of what it truly means to be human. Fables set in galaxies far far away are somehow personal and prolific despite the fact that the characters face challenges we never face, and hardships we’ll never know. It is this resilience and drive that we, along with 7,000 of you, are going to celebrate and dedicate an entire evening to.
This Spring, Coffeehouse is on March 26th, at 11:30PM. The theme this year is “The Great Beyond”. We are asking the student body to practice, tryout, make videos, and eventually perform in front of thousands of people. Each performance will take inspiration from the achievements and stories told in space. While the responsibility to perform may not be as grand as that of the head engineers at Space X, it’s still grand. And if it’s your first time stepping onto that stage, it can feel a bit like stepping onto the moon for the first time. If you are up to the challenge, we’d love to see you at tryouts on February 21st, 22nd, 24th, 26th, and 28th.
If you have gotten this far and still wonder why we chose this theme for Coffeehouse, just go ask your grandparents what it was like to look up on July 16th, 1969.
Written by: Cort Comfort – Director of Student Activities