he human mind is a wonderful
thing. It has the capacity to dream,
just as John F. Kennedy did in 1962
when he boldly declared: “We choose to
go to the moon.”Better yet, it has the ability to achieve, as proven by the ingenious
intellectuals at NASA, who not only launched three men towards
the lunar surface in 1969, but also brought them safely back
down again—albeit with a splash.
On the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, there is still
no higher example of what our imaginations can accomplish. Every
nut, bolt, screw and button of the Apollo programme was supremely
thought through, even down to the Omega Speedmaster worn bythe astronauts: a testament to the precision and innovation of a
Swiss watchmaker on the other side of the planet. Collectively, the
world achieved one incredible goal. But alone, those astronauts also
pushed the human mind to new and undiscovered limits. How
does it feel to walk on another world? Neil Armstrong and Buzz
Aldrin must have experienced emotions that none of us can fathom.
Even under the eyes of 600 million people on earth, and with the
chatter of Mission Control echoing in their helmets, did the solitude
allow their minds to truly grasp the magnitude of the occasion?
This is the beauty of the human condition. Even at our
pinnacle, the mind still has new realms to explore. That’s why,
despite conquering the moon, there are those who strive to return
and even go farther. Armstrong’s Speedmaster showed 02:56:15
UTC when those first lunar steps were taken in 1969. Now, our
next greatest hour awaits. If time has taught us anything, that
moment is only a few big thoughts away. NASA
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On the golden anniversary of Apollo 11, Raynald Aeschlimann
reflects on the power of the imagination and the pioneering
spirit that took humanity to the moonAn d F i n a l l y...Ma n k i n d ’s
Greatest HourT
VANITY FAIR EN ROUTE SEPTEMBER 2019
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