Launching, United

Over the summer, we watched Bob and Doug launch to the International Space Station. It was the kiddos' first view of an American launch, thanks to NASA and SpaceX! (Lily's American Girl doll, Luciana, has a NASA theme so she is part of our viewing party.)

Last night we watched the Crew-1 launch to the International Space Station and we marveled again at the amazing feat of physics, engineering, and bravery.

The capsule that holds the crew is the same one that launched Bob and Doug-crazy! Two American men, an American woman, and a Japanese man all safely ventured beyond our world on their way to meet the I.S.S. on-board crew of two Russian men and an American woman.

The Crew-1 night launch offered a totally different perspective as all you could see was the massive rocket flame soaring into the sky. Each camera angle showed various views of the rocket and the crew. When hitting increasing Mach speeds, the interior cabin appeared calm and smooth; Such a beautiful dichotomy.

These launches are full of symbolism for our kids. Men and women of 3 different countries are launched into space thanks to numerous others behind the scenes who work tirelessly in the name of exploration. It is the perfect blend of country (NASA is an independent government agency), capitalism (SpaceX is a privately-funded company), and international unity (3 countries).

Our kids have gotten an earful of "pandemic", "election", "coronavirus", etc. but last night we focused on "progress", "hope", and "adventure". We all sat a little closer together on the sofa as we watched four souls rocket into space-Well done, NASA and SpaceX! Godspeed!