From the earliest Mercury missions, to recent scientific developments that will enhance our understanding of life as we know it, the Discovery Channel (creators of the popular series Planet Earth) takes an in-depth look at our love-affair with space. On May 25, 1961 President John F. Kennedy issued the challenge to send a man to the moon (and by the end of the decade no less). Eight years later, after thousands of simulations, technological advances, and several test runs, his miraculous dream was realized.I was absolutely riveted to the television as I watched commentary from former astronauts, mission leaders, those who worked in flight control, and even a few anxious wives who were left at home, as they shared their experiences with the space program. It was evident there was a lot of attention to detail (with an especially impressive score and hours of never-before-seen footage). Tears welled in my eyes as I saw the beautiful "Earth rise" (pictured above) from the first flight around the moon, to the explosions of Challenger and then Columbia. I cheered with each successive triumph. But most of all, I loved the happiness and peace I felt, as I watched our former rivals in the "space race", who are now our allies in creating the first international space station.
It gives me hope for the future of life on this planet. I hope you have the opportunity to watch the Discovery Channel's latest miniseries: When We Left Earth. Happy viewing!
