Missing Moon Memo Found 25 years later

I was eleven years old when on July 20 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin walked on the moon. I remember the awe of that landing and the epic line, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”  

Truth be told, things did not go totally to plan. It turned out that there was a problem with how the Service Module separated from the Command Module before landing. Instead of these two fully separating and going off on different trajectories to avoid any possibility of collision, the Service Module burnt up very close to the Command Module and was actually visible to Buzz Aldrin on board. They were just very fortunate that, despite this closeness, none of the debris resulting from the Service Module's re-entry impacted the Command Module. This was not the only near miss. 

US Air Force Captain Hank Brandli had found, via top-secret spy satellite images, that a storm front was imminent in the Apollo recovery area. There mean that there was a distinct possibility of powerful upper-level winds ripping their parachutes to shreds during descent. Poor visibility, due to the storm, would also substantially reduce their ability to find the Apollo 11 capsule even if it did manage to land in one piece. Thankfully, two individuals on the ground put their careers on the line by taking the decision to move the landing point 215 nautical miles (398 km) northeast avoiding the storm front. This change meant altering the flight plans last minute involving a different sequence of computer programs never before attempted.

All of this meant things could have easily ended in disaster rather than incredible success. The Moon landing is a tale of heroism and bravery. But the American authorities were not blind to the chances of things ending very differently. An extraordinary memo was discovered 25 years after the landing in the US National Archives. It was written by Nixon’s then speechwriter William Safire and sent to President Nixon’s Chief of Staff, H.R. Haldeman to be used in the event of a disaster that would maroon the astronauts on the moon. Its content is given below. 

  IN EVENT OF MOON DISASTER: Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace. 

These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice. 

 These two men are laying down their lives in mankind's most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding. 

 They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown. 

 In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man. 

 In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood. 

 Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man's search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts. 

 For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind. 

 PRIOR TO THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT: The President should telephone each of the widows-to-be. 

AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT, AT THE POINT WHEN NASA ENDS COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE MEN: 

 A clergyman should adopt the same procedure as a burial at sea, commending their souls to "the deepest of the deep, " concluding with the Lord's Prayer.

Hyacinths of certitude or worthless weeds?

I don’t know when you began to believe such awful things about yourself. 

What seeds were planted that germinated such crippling weeds to strangle the fair crop that is the real you?

Did malicious tongues bury into your warm soil? 

Eating up the nourishment that is your birthright. 

Or did careless passersby chuck their useless debris into your field to make their own mucky paddock look fair? 

I do not know, I am too far away from you to discern the truth.

These days noxious fumes from polluters seep unbidden between the carefully planted fruiting trees. 

Smothering the wondrous alchemy of life that takes old rancid gasps and pure sunlight to make sweet oxygen filled breaths.

When hope drains away, life’s load becomes unbearable. 

We cannot allow the water of life to be channelled out of our reach. 

Our very being depends on its cleansing purity.

Be sure of this, you are better and worth more than you can possibly imagine! 

Just the thought of you brings a spring to my step and a deep well of contentment to my heart.  

In these days of infestations, storms, floods and droughts you remind me of a hyacinth sprung up beside a heavenly stream. 

Growing in the orchard of true knowledge and refreshed by vitalising breezes. 

May you be kept eternally verdant, fresh and flourishing from the outpouring of clouds from above.

Know your worth, attain your capacity. 

I am ever grateful for your unique flowering head that ever chooses to follow the light.

Millenium Goals - the good news

Just over ten years ago the world’s leaders established goals and targets to free humanity from extreme poverty, hunger and disease.  The Millennium declaration set global priorities and allowed the world to focus their efforts.  I tend to be a cynic and am generally a half glass empty rather than a half glass full type but credit where credit is due – progress has been made, even in this financially taxing time.

Another example of what we can do when we work together is how the world tackled Smallpox.  Existing since 10,000 BC this disease was a real killer - estimates vary but proably 500 million people paid with their lives.  So when the world decided to eradicate this disease from the face of the earth it was no small task it set itself.   But it was united, a rare thing indeed for the human race, and in 1979 it succeeded in wiping this dreadful scourge out.  Speaks volumes about what this world can achieve when it sets its mind to it and acts as one!