GOOD EVENING
MY NAME IS RANDY AND
I'M THE DEAN.
AND ALL OF US WHO SERVE THE
CATHEDRAL IT IS A PLEASURE TO
WELCOME YOU HERE TONIGHT.
THIS CATHEDRAL OF A HOUSE OF
PRAYER FOR ALL AND YOU ARE
ALWAYS, ALWAYS WELCOME HERE.
OTHERS A POINT OF PERSONAL
PRIVILEGE I WOULD LOVE TO POINT
OUT WE ARE BLESSED ENOUGH TO BE
THE STEWARDS OF OUR VERY OWN
PIECE OF THE MOON HERE AT THE
CATHEDRAL, THAT IS IMBEDDED IN
OUR SPACE ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND
LIT UP TONIGHT AND AS YOU LEAVE
THIS EVENING AS YOU LOOK TO THE
LEFT YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE
IT AND WE'RE SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE
WITH US.
50 YEARS AGO FINAL PREPARATIONS
WERE UNDERWAY FOR AN HISTORIC
MAN SPACEFLIGHT THAT WOULD
CHANGE NOT ONLY WHAT WE ARE
CAPABLE OF AS A SPECIES BUT A
FLIGHT THAT CHANGED THE VERY WAY
WE SEE OURSELVES AND OUR PLANET.
THIS AMAZING MISSION THAT I
WOULD CALL A PILGRIMAGE REVEALED
NOT ONLY THE DARK SIDE OF THE
MOON BUT GAVE US THE MOST
POWERFUL IMAGES OF OUR SMALL AND
FRAGILE WORLD, GOD's PRECIOUS
GIFT, A WASH IN AN UNIMAGINABLY
LARGE UNIVERSE.
I THINK OF IT AS A HOLY JOURNEY
NOT ONLY FOR WHAT IS
ACCOMPLISHED BUT FOR WHAT IT
REVEALED TO US IN GOD's GRAND
CREATION.
WE ARE SO HONORED TO HOST
TONIGHT's EVENT AND TO HAVE YOU
HERE CELEBRATE THIS PRO FOUND
EVENT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND GOD
BLESS YOU.
NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO
INTRODUCE THE JOHN AND ADRIEN
MARS NATIONAL SPACE MUSEUM ELLEN
STOP PAN.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL IS
THE SITE OF SOME OF OUR
COUNTRY's MOST IMPORTANT
COMMEMORATIONS OF THE AMERICAN
SPACE PROGRAM.
AND WE ARE HONORED TO BE HERE
THIS EVENING CELEBRATE OUR FIRST
VOYAGE TO ANOTHER WORLD.
ON DECEMBER 21, 1968, THREE MEN
ONE OF WHOM IS WITH US HERE
TONIGHT CLIMBED ATOP THE MOST
POWERFUL ROCKET EVER BUILT AND
LAUNCHED TOWARDS THE MOON.
FOREMAN, JIM LOVER AND BILL
ANDERS WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE TO
RIDE THE GIANT SATURN 5 AND THE
FIRST TO TRAVEL BEYOND LOWER
EARTH ORBIT.
THE HIGHEST SPACEFLIGHT HAD
VENTURED JUST 475 MILES FROM
EARTH.
THE CREW OF APOLLO 8 WOULD FLY A
QUARTER OF A MILLION MILES AWAY
FARTHER FROM THEIR HOMES AND
FAMILIES THAN ANY EXPLORERS IN
HISTORY.
APOLLO 8 WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO
REACH THE MOON.
IT WAS GOING TO BE AN EARTH
ORBIT TEST FLIGHT BUT SATELLITE
PHOTOS HAD SHOWN AND A BOLD
DECISION WAS MADE TO TAKE OUR
FIRST MOON SHOT.
IT WAS A LAST MINUTE MISSION
UNDERTAKEN BY A COUNTRY SHAKEN
BY DIVISION AND CIVIL UNREST AT
HOME AND A LONG WAR ABROAD.
BUT THE CALL WAS NOT MATE
LIGHTLY OR IN HASTE.
IT WAS A CULMINATION OF 8 YEARS
OF CONCENTRATED NATIONAL EFFORT
AND FAITH, FAITH IN THE PROGRAM
AND ITS PEOPLE.
FAITH IN THE HARDWARE AND THE
ASTRONAUTS AND THE FAITH THAT WE
COULD RISE TO MEET THE CHALLENGE
OF A YOUNG PRESIDENT WHO WOULD
NOT BE THERE TO COMPLETE THE
JOURNEY WITH US.
IT WOULD ALL PLAY OUT LIVE ON
TELEVISION AT CHRISTMAS.
NASA HAD TOLD COMMANDER THAT THE
CREW OF APOLLO 8 WOULD HAVE THE
LARGEST AUDIENCE THAT HAD EVER
LISTENED TO A HUMAN VOICE.
THEIR ONLY INSTRUCTION WAS, DO
SOMETHING APPROPRIATE.
AND SO, ON CHRISTMAS EVE OUR
FIRST ON SROEU TO ANOTHER
WORLD -- ALTHOUGH THE FIRST
FLIGHT TO THE MOON WAS UNDER
TAKEN BY AMERICANS IN THE YEAR
1968 THE CREW UNDERSTOOD THEY
WERE SPEAKING TO AND FOR ALL THE
PEOPLE OF THE WORLD.
AND THEY KNEW THAT THEIR WORDS
WOULD ECHO FAR INTO THE FUTURE.
THIS WAS THE START OF SOMETHING
NEW.
SO THEY RETURNED TO THE VERY
BEGINNING.
AN ESTIMATED 1 BILLION PEOPLE
SAW THE BROADCAST.
I WAS ONLY 7 YEARS ONLIED BUT
FARLEY MY PARENTS LET US STAY UP
TO WATCH.
HUMANS NEVER TRAVELLED SO FAR
FROM HOME BUT SOMEHOW IT WAS
HAPPENING IN OUR LIVING ROOM
THREE BRAVE ASTRONAUTS ORBITED
THE MOON AND I JOINED THEM IN MY
PAJAMAS SITTING ON THE CARPET IN
FRONT OF OUR OLD TV NEXT TO A
QUINTESSENTIAL 1960's CHRISTMAS
TREE.
IT SEEMED LIKE MAGIC.
BUT THE MANIC WASN'T CIRCLING
THE MOON, THAT WAS TECHNOLOGIES
SKILL AND GUMPTION.
THE MAGIC WAS HAPPENING HERE ON
THE GROUND ALL OVER THE WORLD IN
A MILLION LIVING ROOMS JUST LIKE
MINE.
POM
APOLLO 8 WAS FULL OF SURPRISES.
WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO THE
MOON BUT HEARING THE STORY, EVEN
THE STEELY-EYED FLIGHT DIRECTORS
IN MISSION CONTROL WEPT.
WE KNOW THE POSITIONS OF THE
EARTH AND MOON AND SPACE, BUT NO
ONE INCLUDING THE ASTRONAUTS
WERE FULLY PREPARE FOR THE
MAJESTIC SIGHT OF OUR PLANET
RISING OVER THE LUNAR HORIZON.
IT WAS THE FIRST REAL LOOK AND
GREETED US ALL FROM EVERY
NEWSSTAND IN THE CLOSING HOURS
OF A VERY TROUBLED YEAR.
MANY PEOPLE RECALLED SEEING IT
FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH THE ONE
WORD CAPTION "DAWN."
THE MESSAGE WAS CLEAR, IT's BEEN
A LONG NIGHT BUT THE LIGHT IS
COMING.
THE IMMEDIACY OF LIVE TELEVISION
AND FAMILY NOTE PHOTOS AND THE
VOICE OF JIM LEVEL COMING AROUND
THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON SAYING,
HOUSTON, PLEASE INFORMED, THERE
IS A SANTA CLAUS.
THE WAIT THEY EXPERIENCED APOLLO
8 PUT THE HUMANITY IN THE
ENDEAVOR CENTER STAGE.
IT WAS REMINDED US THAT THERE
WERE REAL PEOPLE LIKE US UP
THERE AMID THE TOWERING ROCKETS
AND GLEAMING SPACECRAFT AND
INSLIGHTED US ALL ALONG ON WHAT
PRESIDENT KENNEDY HAD CALL OUR
GREATEST ADVENTURE.
ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL ARCHITECTS
OF THE SOVIET SPACE PROGRAM, THE
VERY PEOPLE WE WERE RACING TO
THE MOON SAID THE MISSION WENT
BEYOND THE LIMITS OF A NATIONAL
ACHIEVEMENT AND MARKED THE STAGE
AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VERSAL
CULTURE OF EARTH.
IN THE MIDST OF A RACE OF A
RIVAL SUPER POWERS WE FOUND THE
MOMENT OF UNITY.
SOME OF OUR BRAVEST RIDING ATOP
TO REPURPOSE WEAPONS OF WAR,
DELIVERED A MESSAGE OF PEACE FOR
ALL HUMAN KIND.
THAT WAS THE SPIRIT OF APOLLO.
CENTURIES AFTER IT BEGAN, WEND
THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE AGE OF
DISCOVERY.
IT MARKS THE DAWN OF A NEW AGE
OF EXPLORATION.
BUT EVEN 50 YEARS LATER, WE
CANNOT SAY FOR SURE WHERE THIS
GREAT ADVENTURE WILL LEAD.
OUR VISION NOW STEMS FAR FROM
BEYOND THE HORIZON AND THE NEW
WORLDS THAT WE SEEK TO EXPLORE
ARE MORE THAN METAPHORS.
WHEN I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE
THERE WERE 9 KNOWN PLANETS AND
NOW THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF NEWLY
FOUND WORLDS IN SOLAR SYSTEMS
ACROSS THE GALAXY.
WHEN APOLLO 8 CIRCLED THE MOON
THERE WERE 3.5 PEOPLE ON EARTH
AND ONLY 6% OF AMERICANS HAD
COLOR TELEVISIONS.
I KNOW THAT's HARD TO BELIEVE.
50 YEARS LATER, THE WORLD's
POPULATION HAS DOUBLED AND WE
ARE CONNECTED IN WAYS THAT
WALTER CRONKITE COULD NEVER HAVE
IMAGINED BACK IN 1968.
HOW WILL WE EXPERIENCE THE FIRST
STEPS ON MARS?
IF THE WORLD STOPPED IN AWE AND
ELF
SELF REFLECTION WHAT WOULD THE
REACTION BE WHEN WE DISCOVER
LIFE IN THE COSMO.
THE LEGACY OF APOLLO 8 IS MORE
THAN THE MOMENTS OF PEACE AND
UNITY THAT WE CELEBRATE HERE
TONIGHT.
IT'S A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW
AND WHY WE KEEP EXPLORING AND
WHAT WE OWE OURSELVES AND EACH
OTHER IN A WORLD WHERE THE SKY
IS NO LONGER THE LIMIT.
AND HOW WE TREAT A PLANET THAT
HANGS LIKE A BLUE BELL ARE MARCH
BELL IN SPACE.
WE SAID GOOD-BYE WITH AN
AMERICAN PRESIDENT WHO ONCE
CELEBRATED THAT LEGACY.
30 YEARS AGO GEORGE H.W. BUSH
STOOD ON THE STEPS ON THE AIR
AND SPACE MY EUHM AND SAID WHO
OU
JOIN US IN A GREAT DREAM,
AMERICAN DREAM, DREAM WITHOUT
END.
WHEN YOU ENTERED THE CATHEDRAL
TONIGHT THE MOON WAS IN THE SAME
WAX AND CRESCENT THAT SHINED
DOWN ON THE WORLD ON CHRISTMAS
EVE 1968 AND I ALSO HOPE YOU
LOOKED UP RIGHT AROUND 6:30 AND
SAW THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION PASSING ABOVE THIS VERY
CATHEDRAL.
50 YEARS AGO, THE MOON WAS THE
FINISH LINE.
BUT THE PRIZE OF APOLLO WASN'T
THE MOON.
IT WAS A WORLD IN WHICH WE COULD
REACH INTO THE CELESTIAL SPHERE
AND FIND A NEW CONNECTION.
AFTER CENTURIES OF DREAMING, THE
LIMIT OF OUR AMBITIONS WAS NO
LONGER BOUNDED BY THE DISTANCE
FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON.
OUTSIDE OF THE MUSEUM PRESIDENT
BUSH CONCLUDED, IN THE DECADES
AHEAD, WE WILL TRAVEL TO
NEIGHBORING STARS, NO NEW WORLDS
TO DISCOVER THE UNKNOWN AND IT
WILL NOT HAPPEN IN MY LIFETIME
BUT A DREAM TO BE REALIZED BY
FUTURE GENERATIONS MUST BEGIN
WITH THIS GENERATION.
WE ARE HERE TO NIGHT CELEBRATE
THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF
HISTORIES HIGHEST ACHIEVEMENTS
AND BEGIN TO ANSWER THE
QUESTIONS OF WHERE WE GO NEXT.
IF THE MOON IS WITHIN OUR GRASP
NOTHING IS BEYOND OUR REACH, BUT
WE MUST DECIDE TOGETHER WHERE TO
START.
TONIGHT WE FIND OURSELVES LIKE
THAT CHRISTMAS EVE 50 YEARS AGO
IN THE BEGINNING.
T MINUS, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10,
9.
WE HAVE INEUGS SEQUENCE ON.
♪ ♪
>> WE'RE COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM
THE MOON.
IT MEANS A DIFFERENT THING TO
EACH ONE OF US.
EACH ONE IS CURIOUS AND HAS HIS
OWN IMPREGZ OF WHAT HE SEES
TODAY.
I KNOW MY OWN IMPRESSION IS THAT
IT's A VAST -- AND LOOKS RATHER
LIKE CLOUDS.
JIM, WHAT ABOUT YOU?
>> VERY SIMILAR.
IT MAKES YOU REALIZE JUST WHAT
YOU HAVE BACK THERE ON EARTH.
THE EARTH FROM HERE IS A GRAND
OASIS OF THE BIG VASTNESS OF
SPACE.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> I THINK THE THING THAT
IMPRESSED ME THE MOST WERE THE
LUNAR SUNRISES AND SUNSETS.
IT'S VERY, VERY DARK AND THE SKY
IS PITCH BLACK AND THE BEST WAY
TO DESCRIBE THIS AREA IS A
VASTNESS OF BLACK AND WHITE AND
NO COLOR.
♪ ♪
>> NOW APPROACHING THE LUNAR
SUNRISE.
AND FOR ALL THE PEOPLE BACK ON
EARTH WE HAVE A MESSAGE WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEND TO YOU.
PAEURPB AT THE BEGINNING GOD PRE
CREATED THE HEAVEN AND EARTH AND
THE EARTH WAS FORM AND VOID WITH
THE DARKNESS OF THE DEEP.
AND IT MOVED UPON THE FACE OF
THE WATERS AND GOD SAID, LET
THERE BE LIGHT AND THERE WAS
LIGHT AND GOD SAW THE LIGHT AND
IT WAS GOOD.
AND GOD DIVIDED THE LIGHT FROM
THE DARKNESS.
>> THE DARKNESS HE CALLED NIGHT
AND THE EVENING AND THE MORNING
WAS THE FIRST DAY.
AND GOD SAID -- LET IT DIVIDE
THE WATERS FROM THE WATERS.
AND GOD MADE I AND IT WAS
GOD SAID LET THE WATERS MOVE
TOGETHER INTO ONE PLAIN.
AND IT WAS SO.
GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD.
FROM THE CREW OF APOLLO 8, WE
CLOSE WITH GOOD NIGHT, GOOD LUCK
AND MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD
BLESS ALL OF YOU, ALL OF YOU ON
THE GOOD EARTH.
♪
♪ ♪
>> LONG AGO AN ANCIENT HEBREW
POET CONTEMPLATING THE BEGINNING
SAID THIS IN WORDS NOW FOUND IN
GENESIS, "IN THE BEGINNING GOD
CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE
EARTH.
THE EARTH WAS WITHOUT FORM AND
VOID AND DARKNESS WAS UPON THE
FACE OF THE DEEP.
AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS
BROODING OVER THE FACE OF THE
WATERS.
AND GOD SAID, LET THERE BE
LIGHT.
AND THERE WAS LIGHT.
LET THERE BE ASK WE WERE AND
ARE.
CENTURIES LATER ON FAR DIFFERENT
SHORES ANOTHER POET, A PREACHER
TO BE PRECISE, A SLAVE PREACHER
HERE IN AMERICA LATE 18TH EARLY
19TH CENTURY PREACHED ON THAT
FIRST CHAPTER OF GENESIS THAT
OUR ASTRONAUTS READ FROM, AND
THAT SERMON AND SERMONS LIKE IT
THAT WERE HANDED DOWN IN SLAVE
FIELDS OF COTTON WERE FINALLY
PUT IN A BOOK CALLED GOD's
TROMBONE AND JAMES WELL DON
JOHNSON CREATED POETRY FROM
THEIR PREACHING.
ONE OF HE THOSE POEMS, THE
CREATION, THE OLD PREACHER READ
BACK AND INTERPRETED WHAT
GENESIS WAS TALKING ABOUT, AND
TOLD THE STORY OF CREATION AND
SAID IT THIS WAY: "AND GOD
STEPPED OUT ON SPACE AND LOOKED
AROUND AND SAID, I'M LONEY I
THINK I'LL MAKE ME A WORLD."
THE INSIGHT OF THAT OLD
PREACHER, WHOEVER THAT WAS,
CAPTURED SOMETHING DEEP IN THE
TEXT AND POETRY OF GENESIS THAT
THIS IS GOD's WORLD, THAT WE ARE
HERE BECAUSE THE GRACE OF GOD
ALMIGHTY LOOKED BACK AND SAID
I'M LONELY, I'LL MAKE ME A
WORLD.
THAT DEEP IN THE FABRIC OF THIS
CREATION WE ARE A PART OF IT,
NOT THE SUM TOTAL OF IT.
TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, IT's NOT
ALL ABOUT US.
WE ARE PART OF A GREATER WHOLE.
PART OF GOD's WORLD AND GOD
STEPPED OUT ON SPACE AND LOOKED
AROUND AT THE VAST NOTHINGNESS
AND SAID, "I'M LONELY.
I'LL MAKE ME A WORLD."
OLD SINGERS USED TO SAY IT THIS
WAY, HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN
HIS HANDS.
Y'ALL KNOW THAT SONG?
HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS
HANDS.
THE TRUTH IS, THE TRUTH IS, WE
WERE MADE FOR RELATIONSHIP WITH
GOD WHO CREATED US AND
RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER AS
CHILDREN OF THE ONE GOD WHO
CREATED US AND RELATIONSHIP WITH
THIS WORLD, THIS CREATION THAT
GOD HAS MADE AND GOD, I'M HERE
TO TELL YOU, FOLKS, I KNOW YOU
DIDN'T COME HERE TO GO TO CHURCH
BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU GOD MADE
THIS WORLD BECAUSE GOD ACTUALLY
LOVES AND CARES ABOUT IT.
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, ASK
JESUS.
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE HIM YOU GOT
TO A HIGHER AUTHORITY TO ANSWER
TO.
BUT JESUS AND JOHN CHAPTER 3
VERSE 16 JESUS SAID GOD SO LOVED
THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY
SON.
THE GREEK WORD THAT THE NEW
TESTAMENT USES TO TRANSLATE
WORLD IN THAT TEXT IS THE WORLD
COSMOS.
GOD SO LOVED THE COSMOS THAT
CHRISTMAS HAPPENED.
TRUTH IS, WE WERE MADE FOR GOD,
EACH OTHER AND THIS WHOLE
CREATION.
HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS
HANDS.
HE'S GOT YOU AND ME, SISTER,
BROTHER, IN HIS HANDS.
HE'S GOT THE LITTLE BITTY BABY
IN HIS HAPPENS.
HE'S GOT GENERATIONS YET TO COME
IN HIS HANDS.
IN 1968, THREE HUMAN BEINGS
SUMMONED INCREDIBLE COURAGE
MOUNTED ON GREAT WISDOM AND
KNOWLEDGE AND FLEW TO THE MOON.
AND A QUARTER MILLION MILES AWAY
FROM HOME THEY ALMOST I THINK --
I WASN'T THERE BUT I READ ABOUT
IT, I THINK ALMOST BY ACCIDENT
THEY HELD SOMETHING THAT NO
HUMAN BEING HAD EVER SEEN
BEFORE.
THEY SAW THE EARTH RISING FROM
THE LUNAR LANDSCAPE.
THEY SAW IT.
AND THEY FUMBLED AROUND I GUESS.
THEY HAD TO FIND A CAMERA AND
TOOK A PICTURE.
BUT THAT WAS BLACK AND WHITE AND
THEY PUT THE COLOR FILM IN AND
THEY GOT IT IN AND THEY THOUGHT
THE EARTH WOULD DISAPPEAR AND
THEY GOT ANOTHER PICTURE AND
THEY GOT THE PICTURE, THE FIRST
TIME WE HAD SEEN MOTHER EARTH
RISING, AND I WONDER IF WHEN
THEY SAW IT THEN LATER WE SAW
IT, WHEN THEY READ FROM GENESIS,
I WONDER IF GOD KIND OF GAVE A
COSMIC SMILE, AND I WONDER IF
GOD SAID, "NOW Y'ALL SEE WHAT I
SEE."
GOD SAYS, "Y'ALL."
IT's IN THE KING GAMES VERSION
OF THE BIBLE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> I WONDER IF ON SOME LEVEL GOD
WHISPERED IN THEIR EARS,
"BEHOLD, BEHOLD!
THE WORLD, THE WORLD OF WHICH
YOU ARE A PART.
LOOK AT IT.
LOOK AT IT ITS SYMMETRY.
LOOK AT ITS BEAUTY.
LOOK AT ITS WONDER.
LOOK AT IT.
BEHOLD YOUR WORLD."
SOME HAVE SAID THAT THAT WAS A
MOMENT THAT CHANGED HUMAN
CONSCIOUSNESS FOREVER.
AN ARTICLE IN THE GUARDIAN IN
2013 SAID AND I QUOTE, "THAT UP
TO THE TIME WHEN WE FIRST SAW
THAT PICTURE OF EARTH RISE, WE
HUMANS THOUGHT THE EARTH WAS
JUST THE THING BENEATH OUR FEET.
AND IN THAT PICTURE WE BEHELD A
WORLD OF WHICH WE ARE A PART,
NOT THE WHOLE."
OTHERS HAVE SAID THAT THAT
PHOTOGRAPH WAS ONE OF THE
MOST -- ONE OF THE 100 MOST
IMPACTFUL PHOTOGRAPHS IN ALL OF
HUMAN HISTORY.
OTHERS HAVE SAID THE
ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT TO SAVE
OUR PLANET HAD ITS KEY
INSPIRATION FROM THAT
PHOTOGRAPH, THAT READING OF
GENESIS 1, THE SPIRIT OF APOLLO
8.
EVERY FEW YEARS THE ARCHBISHOP
OF CANTERBURY SUMMONS THE
BISHOPS OF WHICH THIS CATHEDRAL
IS A PART AND COME FOR A PERIOD
OF PRAYER AND MUTUAL
CONSULTATION.
WE GATHERED THE LAST TIME IN
2008, SOME 800 OF US FROM EVERY
CONTINENT ON THIS BLESSED PLANET
EARTH.
WE GATHERED AT CANTERBURY
CATHEDRAL AND WE STUDIED AND
PRAYED AND DEBATED AND DISCUSSED
WITH EACH DAY BEING SET ASIDE
FOR A PARTICULAR TOPIC OF FAITH
AND LIFE.
ONE DAY WAS DEVOTED TO THE
CHURCH AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND
THE WORLD.
AND WE WERE INVITED BECAUSE WE
WERE BISHOPS FROM EVERY COUNTRY
ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH
VIRTUALLY.
TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF CHANGE
IN OUR CLIMATE ON OUR LIVES AND
OUR CULTURES AND OUR WORLD.
MANY OF THE BISHOPS FROM THE
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE HAD MUCH
MORE TO SAY THAN WE FROM THE
NORTH AND THE WEST HAD AT THE
TIME.
I REMEMBER BISHOPS FROM
TANZANIA, ONE SPOKE OF, AS A
LITTLE BOY, LOOKING UP AT MOUNT
KILIMANJARO AND SEEING THE SNOW
CAPPED PEAKS AND NOW LOOKING UP
AND THE SNOW CAPPED PEAKS AREN'T
WHAT THEY ONCE WERE.
I REMEMBER BISHOPS ZIMBABWE SAY
THAT SOMETHING IS CHANGING
AROUND THEM.
BUT ONE BISHOP STRUCK ME IN
PARTICULAR FROM THE PACIFIC FROM
THE SOUTH PACIFIC FROM THE
PACIFIC HE STOOD UP IN OUR SMALL
GROUP OF ABOUT 40 BISHOPS AND HE
INTRODUCED HIMSELF AS THE BISHOP
OF THE SOLOMON ISLANDS.
WHEN HE SAID THAT I REMEMBERED
PRESIDENT KENNEDY WHO INSPIRED
THE APOLLO MISSION, THE MISSION
TO THE MOON.
I REMEMBERED AS A LITTLE BOY
GOING WITH MY DADDY TO SEE PT109
AND FOR SOME REASON I REMEMBERED
THAT WHEN THEIR BOAT WAS
SHIPWRECKED IN THE MIDST OF
BATTLE THEY WENT TO THE SOLOMON
ISLANDS AND FOUND DRY LAND.
THE BISHOP OF THE SOLOMON
ISLANDS STOOD UP AND SAID TO US,
YOU WHO ARE AMERICAN YOU HAVE
THE POWER, PLEASE HELP US.
OUR ISLANDS ARE SINKING.
OUR GOVERNMENTS ARE IN
CONSULTATION WITH NEW ZEALAND
AND AUSTRALIA TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO SAVE THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLAND
WHEN THE OCEAN RISES AND THE
ISLAND SINKS.
PLEASE, WE NEED YOUR HELP.
WE NEED YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WE NEED
YOUR STRENGTH.
WE NEED YOUR HELP.
AND THEN HE SAID, WE HAVE BEEN
YOUR FRIENDS BEFORE.
MY FAMILY SAVED YOUR PRESIDENT
JOHN KENNEDY IN THE SECOND WORLD
WAR.
AND NOW WE NEED YOU TO SAVE US.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE ARE
PART OF ONE WORLD.
AS DR. KING SAID LONG AGO, WHAT
AFFECTS ONE DIRECTLY AFFECTS US
ALL INDIRECTLY.
WE ARE TIED IN INESCAPABLE NET
WORKED OF MUTE WALT BOUND
TOGETHER IN DECEMBER TINY.
YOU WILL HEAR LATER IN THIS
PROGRAM THE WORTH OF SIR RICHARD
AT 10 BORROW WHO SAID AND I
QUOTE, IF THE GREATEST LEGACY OF
THAT FIRST FLIGHT TO THE MOON
WAS THE VERY DISCOVERY OF THE
EARTH
EARTH, THEN MAYBE OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO THAT LEGACY IS
TO PROTECT THIS EARTH, OUR OASIS
AMONG THE STARS.
OUR BROTHERS, MY SISTERS, MY
SIBLINGS, MAY THIS COMMEMORATION
BE A MOMENT OF RECONSECRATION
AND DEDICATION TO MOUNT ON
EAGLE's WINGS AND FLY, TO
EXPLORE NEW WORLDS, TO SEEK OUT
VAST KNOWLEDGE AND THEN TO
MOBILIZE THE GREAT KNOWLEDGE OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE
WISDOM OF HUMANITY, TO MOBILIZE
IT NOW, TO SAVE THIS OASIS, OUR
ISLAND HOME.
SO, FROM THIS 50TH COMMEMORATION
OF APOLLO 8, GOOD NIGHT.
GOOD LUCK.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND MAY GOD
BLESS US ALL ON THIS GOOD EARTH.
♪ HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN
HIS HANDS.
HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS
HANDS, HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD
IN HIS HANDS, HE'S GOT THE WHOLE
WORLD IN HIS HANDS ♪
Y'ALL WANT TO JOIN ME NOW?
♪ HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN
HIS HANDS ♪
♪ HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN
HIS HANDS ♪
♪ HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD, IN
HIS HANDS, HE'S GOT THE WHOLE
WORLD IN HIS HANDS ♪
GOD LOVE YOU.
GOD BLESS YOU.
AND MAY GOD HOLD US ALL IN THOSE
ALMIGHTY HANDS OF LOVE.
IN THE EIGHTH YEAR THE NATIONAL
AIR OUGHTICS AND SPACE
ADMINISTRATION PREPARED MEN AND
EQUIPMENT FOR THE MOST ADVANCED
MAN MISSIONS TO DATE.
>> YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THE YEAR
OF APOLLO 8.
IT REALLY NEEDED SOMETHING TO
BRING IT UP.
THE RUSSIAS WERE GOING TO TRY TO
DO IT BEFORE THE END OF THE
YEAR.
400,000 PEOPLE THAT PUT THAT
THING TOGETHER AND MADE IT WORK
WAS AN INCREDIBLE PART OF
AMERICA.
>> 2, 1, 0, WE HAVE COMMENCED.
WE HAVE LIFT OFF.
>> THAT WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT ON
SATURN 5 MANNED.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME HUMANS
LEFT EARTH ORBIT, FIRST TIME
THEY HAD GONE TO THEIR NEAREST
NEIGHBOR IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
WHILE THERE, FRANK HAD CHOSEN TO
READ FROM THE BOOK OF GENESIS.
>> AND THE EARTH WAS FORMED AND
VOID AND DARKNESS WAS UPON THE
FACE OF THE DEEP.
>> WHICH REALLY NOT ONLY SHOCKED
PEOPLE BUT REALLY CAUGHT THEIR
ATTENTION.
THIS WAS A LOT ABOUT APOLLO 8
THAT WAS EMOTIONAL TO FOLKS ON
GROUND LISTENING TO IT.
>> GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU, ALL OF
YOU ON THIS GOOD EARTH.
>> IT WAS A TOUGH JOB DONE IN 4
MONTHS AND WE DID A GOOD JOB.
>> LOOK AT THAT PICTURE OVER
THERE.
DO YOU HAVE A COLOR FILM, JIM?
>> THEY TOOK A PICTURE WITH A
250 MILLIMETER LENS.
>> HE DIDN'T WANT ME TO TAKE.
>> AND COLORED FILM.
>> ONE PICTURE TOLD THE WHOLE
STORY OF APOLLO 8 AND PEOPLE OF
THE EARTH.
>> HE'S TAKING ALL OF US ALL
OVER THE WORLD INTO A NEW ERA.
>> APOLLO 8 AND THE PROGRAM WAS
UNIQUELY AMERICAN PROGRAM AND
DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF
INTERNATIONAL INPUT.
AND WHEN WE CAME TO THE MOON IN
APOLLO 11, WE CAME FOR ALL
MANKIND.
THE AMERICANS CAME FOR ALL
MANKIND.
>> AS I LOOK DOWN AT THE EARTH
IT's ABOUT THE SIZE OF YOUR FIST
AT ARM's LENGTH, I'M THINKING,
THIS IS NOT A VERY BIG PLACE.
WHY CAN'T WE GET ALONG.
AND I MUST SAY THE SITUATION HAS
GOTTEN WORSE SINCE APOLLO.
WE OUGHT TO GO AS HUMAN BEINGS.
>> SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE,
ALTHOUGH I'M NOT A POET I
MANAGED TO SAY IT's STRANGE THAT
WE WORKED AND COME ALL THE WAY
TO THE MOON TO STUDY THE MOON
AND WHAT WE REALLY DISCOVERED
WAS THE EARTH.
>> EXACTLY.
>>
>>>> WELL HELLO.
I'M JIM, THE NASA ADMINISTER AND
I WANT TO THANK ALLEN STOW PAN
FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER WITH
THE SMITHSONIAN AIR AND SPACE
MUSEUM AND YOU AND YOUR TEAM
HAVE DONE AN ABSOLUTELY
MAGNIFICENT JOB AND I HAVE
THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT SO FAR.
IF WE COULD GET A ROUND OF
APPLAUSE FOR ELLEN SEW SPAN AND
THE AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.
[APPLAUSE] AND HOW ABOUT THE
REVEREND MICHAEL CURRY.
WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING I WAS
THINKING BOY I GOT TO COME AFTER
THIS GUY.
WHAT AN AMAZING JOB HE'S DONE
AND REPRESENTING HOW IMPORTANT
THIS MISSION WAS TO ALL OF US
AND NOT JUST IS THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BUT THE
ENTIRE WORLD AND IT IS
ABSOLUTELY TRUE THAT GOD DOES
HOLD THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS
HANDS.
AND THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US
OF THAT VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE.
I WANT TO START BY SHARING WITH
YOU MAYBE A LITTLE HISTORY
BEFORE APOLLO 8.
WE GO BACK TO APOLLO 1, 1967.
WHICH RESULTED IN A FIRE DURING
A TEST, ASK THAT FIRE KILLED
THREE OF YOUR BEST ASTRONAUTS.
THAT WAS IN 1967.
IN AUGUST OF 1968 WE HAD THE
APOLLO 6 MISSION WHICH WAS
UNCREWED.
BUT IT WAS ALSO A FAILURE.
ALTHOUGH NOT DECLARED SO AT THE
TIME, PARTS OF THE FIRST STAGE
OF THE APOLLO 6 MISSION ACTUALLY
FELL OFF THE ROCKET.
THE SECOND STAGE ONLY THREE OF
THE 5 ENGINES IGNITED AND THAT
FINAL STAGE THE COMMAND AND
SERVICE MODULE THAT SINGLE
ENGINE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE
REIGNITED OVER AND OVER AGAIN ON
A TRIP TO THE MOON FAILED TO
REIGNITE EVEN ONCE, THE
SPACECRAFT PWEURLY MADE IT TO
ORBIT AND CERTAINLY DID NOT
ACHIEVE THE VELOCITY NECESSARY
TO TEST THE HEAT SHIELD AS
THOUGH IT WERE COMING BACK FROM
THE MOON.
AND BY THE WAY, THAT SINGLE
ENGINE THAT HAD TO BE REIGNITED
OVER AND OVER AGAIN ON APOLLO 8
THAT FAILED TO REIGNITE EVEN
ONCE, IT HAD TO IGNITE TO GET TO
THE MOON AND HAD TO REIGNITE TO
SLOW DOWN AND BE CAPTURED AND
CHANGE OR BITS AT THE MOON AND
HAD TO REIGNITE TO LEAVE LUNAR
ORBIT AND CORRECT THE TRAJECTORY
TO COME HOME.
APOLLO 6 IN AUGUST OF 1968, THAT
SINGLE ENGINE FAILED TO REIGNITE
EVEN ONCE.
AND WE WERE IN THIS MASSIVE
CONTEST OF IDEAS, POLITICAL
IDEAS.
WE WERE IN A CONTEST OF
TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS BETWEEN
THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET
UNION.
AND IN THIS CONTEST, THE NEXT
DAY AFTER APOLLO 6, WORD CAME
THAT THE SOVIET UNION WAS GOING
TO BE AROUND THE MOON BEFORE THE
END OF THE YEAR IN 1968.
IN 4 SHORT MONTHS WE NEEDED TO
BE AROUND THE MOON IN 1968 AFTER
THE 1967 APOLLO 1 FAILURE AND OF
COURSE THE 1968 APOLLO 6
FAILURE, ALTHOUGH IT WASN'T
DECLARED SO AT THE TIME.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT FOR A
SECOND HOW UNREADY WE WERE TO GO
TO THE MOON.
MISSION CONTROL WASN'T READY
YET.
TRAJECTORIES HAD NOT BEEN
CALCULATED.
THE CREW HAD NOT BEEN TRAINED IN
AUGUST OF 1968 TO GO TO THE
MOON.
FLIGHT CONTROLLERS HAD NOT BEEN
TRAINED.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE COMMUNICATION
NETWORKS READY IN ORDER TO GO TO
THE MOON IN AUGUST OF 1968 AND,
YET, BY THE END OF THE YEAR,
NASA WAS DETERMINED THAT WE WERE
GOING TO GET THERE BEFORE THE
END OF THE YEAR.
EVEN MORE WORRISOME THAN ALL OF
THIS, THAT APOLLO 8 MISSION, IF
WE WERE TO ACHIEVE THIS
OBJECTIVE WOULD BE IN ORBIT
AROUND THE MOON ON CHRISTMAS EVE
AND ON CHRISTMAS DAY.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF THERE WAS A
FAILURE HERE, IT WOULD WRECK
CHRISTMAS NOT ONLY FOR EVERYBODY
IN THE UNITED STATES BUT FOR
EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD.
AND YET NASA ROSE TO THE
OCCASION AND NASA TOOK THE RISK.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT ELEMENT WE
ALREADY HEARD ABOUT TONIGHT,
THAT LUNAR LANDER WASN'T READY
AND SO WE DROPPED IT FROM THE
MISSION AS AN AGENCY.
WHEN I SAY WE DROPPED IT FROM
THE MISSION IT WASN'T JUST THAT
WE WEREN'T GOING TO LAND ON THE
MOON WE DIDN'T HAVE THE LIFE
BOAT.
IF THAT SINGLE ENGINE FAILED TO
REIGNITE THIS TIME OUR
ASTRONAUTS WOULD BE ON THEIR WAY
TO THE MOON FOR THE REST OF
THEIR LIVES AND AT THE MOON THE
REST OF THEIR LIVES AND GIVING
THE LIFE SUPPORT THE REST OF
THEIR LIVES WOULD HAVE BEEN 4
DAYS MAYBE.
AND YET WE WERE WILLING TO TAKE
THE RISK BECAUSE WHAT WAS AT
STAKE.
AND NASA DID IN FACT TAKE THE
RISK.
AND WHAT's SO AMAZING WE'VE SEEN
TONIGHT AND HEARD TONIGHT ON
CHRISTMAS EVE ONE OUT OF EVERY 4
PEOPLE ON PLANET EARTH TUNED IN
TO LISTEN TO BILL ANDERS, FRANK
GORMAN AND JIM LEVEL AS THEY
READ GENESIS 1:1 THROUGH GENESIS
1:10.
IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE
HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.
AND THEIR BROADCAST REACHED NOT
ALMOST ALMOST ALL OF AMERICA BUT
10S OF MILLIONS PEOPLE BEHIND
THE IRON CURTAIN WHERE CHRISTMAS
WAS STILL ILLEGAL.
AND REACH THEM WITH A CHRISTMAS
MESSAGE.
THAT IS A TOOL OF NATIONAL
POWER.
THE IDEA WE CAN CHANGE THE
PERCEPTION OF PEOPLE ALL AROUND
THE WORLD TOWARDS THE
UNITED STATES WITH SPACE
EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY AND
SCIENCE.
AND THAT's WHAT NASA DID IN THE
CHRISTMAS OF 1968.
AND IN A FEW MINUTES I'LL
INTRODUCE ONE OF MY HEROS
CAPTAIN JIM LEVEL.
BUT BEFORE DOING SO, I WANT TO
TALK TO ARE A SECOND WHY TONIGHT
IS IMPORTANT.
WE ARE REMEMBERING THE APOLLO
ERA OF THE 19 SIXTIES AND 1970S.
LAST TIME WE HAD BOOTS ON THE
MOON WAS 1972.
BUT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT
AND THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE.
WHAT ARE WE DOING NEXT AND HOW
ARE WE GOING TO ACCOMPLISHMENT.
WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE MOON AND
I WANT TO BE CLEAR.
WE'RE IN FACT GOING FORWARD TO
THE MOON.
WE'RE DOING IT IN A WAY THAT HAS
NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
THIS TIME WHEN HE WITH GO TO THE
MOON WE'RE GOING TO STAY.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT LEAVING FLAGS
AND FOOTPRINTS AND WE'LL GET
BACK AND FORTH TO THE MOON OVER
AND OVER AND AGAIN AND WE'LL DO
IT WITH COMMERCIAL PARTNERS AND
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.
WE'LL RETIRE RISK.
WE'LL UTILIZE THE RESOURCES OF
THE MOON INTERESTINGLY.
TODAY WE HEARD SOME OF OUR
ASTRONAUTS READ FROM GENESIS AND
THEY TALKED ABOUT IN THAT
SCRIPTURE THAT THERE WAS A
FIRMAMENT AND GOD SEPARATED FROM
THE WATERS BELOW.
FIRMAMENT IS JUST EMPTY SPACE.
9 WATERS BELOW THE FIRMAMENT TO
THE WATERS ABOVE THE FIRMAMENT.
FROM 1969 THE FIRST TIME WE
LANDED ON THE MOON ALL THE WAY
UNTIL 2008 A LOT OF PEOPLE
BELIEVED THAT THE MOON WAS BONE
DRY.
WE NOW KNOW THAT THERE ARE
HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF TONS OF
WATER ICE AT THE POLES AT THE
MOON.
WATER ICE REPRESENTS WATER TO
DRINK AND AIR TO BREATHE AND
LIFE SUPPORT BUT ALSO HYDROGEN
AND OXYGEN WHICH IS ROCKET FUEL
AND AVAILABLE IN HUNDREDS OF
BILLIONS OF TONS ON THE SURFACE
OF THE MOON.
THAT's AN ASTONISHING DISCOVERY
AND WE NOW KNOW THAT WE CAN
UTILIZE THAT AS A RESOURCE SO
THAT HUMANITY CAN GO FURTHER
THAN EVER BEFORE.
SO IN THIS ARCHITECTURE WE ARE
FAMILIAR WITH WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
WE REUSE ROCKETS.
COST GOES DOWN AND ACCESS GOES
UP.
WE WANT TO REUSE THE ENTIRE
ARCHITECTURE.
WE WANT TO REUSABLE COMMAND
MODULE, PERMANENTLY ORBIT AROUND
THE MOON WE CALL IT GATEWAY.
AND WE WANT REUSABLE LANDERS
THAT GO BACK AND FORTH FROM THE
GATEWAY TO THE SURFACE OF THE
MOON OVER AND OVER AGAIN, NOT
JUST LANDERS BUT ROVERS AND
ROBOTS AND HUMANS THAT CAN ALL
WORK INSIDE THIS FRAMEWORK OF A
REUSABLE LUNAR ARCHITECTURE AND
ALSO TRUE THAT THIS ARCHITECTURE
WILL BE OPEN.
THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS,
FRIENDS, IT WAS A CONTEST OF
IDEAS.
IT WAS A CONTEST BETWEEN
NATIONS.
THIS TIME WHEN WE DO IT, IT's
GOING TO BE OPEN IN A WAY THAT
ANY COUNTRY ON THE PLAN ELICIT
CAN GO ON A WEBSITE AND THEY CAN
SEE HOW WE DO COMMUNICATIONS AND
AVIONICS AND THIS OPEN
ARCHITECTURE WILL ENABLE ALL OF
THE NATIONS TO PARTICIPATE.
AND NOT JUST ALL THE NATIONS WHO
ARE INTERESTED BUT ALSO PRIVATE
INDIVIDUALS AND COMMERCIAL
COMPANIES THAT ALSO WANT TO PLUG
INTO THAT ARCHITECTURE IN A
SPECIAL WAY.
THE IDEA BEING THAT WE'RE GOING
TO RETIRE THE WRIST,, WE'RE
GOING TO PROVE THE TECHNOLOGY
AND PROVE THE CAPABILITY, WE'RE
GOING TO PROVE THE HUMAN
PHYSIOLOGY AND THE FINAL PART OF
SPACE POLICY DIRECTIVE 1 IS THAT
WE'LL REPRESENT MR. INDICATE AS
MUCH OF THIS AS POSSIBLE IN OUR
JOURNEY TO MARS.
FRIENDS, THAT's WHAT WE ARE
DOING TONIGHT.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT APOLLO ERA
WITH AN EYE FOR FUTURE.
JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO WE TALKED
ABOUT THE FIRMAMENT AND THE
WATER BELOW AND THE WATER ABOVE.
WE NOW KNOW THAT WHEN OUR
ASTRONAUTS ON APOLLO 8 READ THE
SCRIPTURE WE DIDN'T KNOW THERE
WAS WATER ANYWHERE OTHER THAN
EARTH.
WE KNOW THERE IS A MOON OF
JUPITER AND A MOON OF SATURN AND
EUROPA OF JUPITER AND THEY ARE
WATER WORLDS.
AVAILABLE FOR US TO GO MAKE NEW
DISCOVERIES AND MAYBE EVEN FIND
OUT THAT THERE'S LIFE ON OTHER
WORLDS.
WE DON'T KNOW BUT HERE's WHAT WE
DO KNOW.
WE KNOW THAT MARS HAS A METHANE
CYCLE THAT IS PERFECTLY COMMENCE
RAT WITH THE SEASONS OF MARS.
DOESN'T GUARANTEE LIFE BUT
INCREASES THE PROBABILITY.
WE KNOW THAT MARS HAS COMPLEXED
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ON ITS SERVICE
AND THEY WERE MADE JUST INSIDE
THE NASA ADMINISTER IN THE LAST
8 MONTHS.
WE'RE LIVING IN EXCITING TIMES.
ORGANIC COMPOUND DZ DO NOT
GUARANTEE THERE IS LIFE BUT
INCREASES PROBABILITY.
WE ALSO THERE IS LIQUID WATER 10
KILOMETERS IN MARS PROTECTED
FROM DEEP SPACE.
THESE ARE EXCITING TIMES,
FRIENDS.
MY NEW FRIEND, CAPTAIN JIM LEVEL
TALKED ABOUT THE WATERS ABOVE
THE FIRMAMENT AND THE WATT EARTH
BELOW THE FIRMAMENT WE DIDN'T
KNOW IT AT THE TIME BUT THOSE
WORDS HAD VERY REAL MEANING.
AND NASA IS NOW FOLLOWING THE
WATER SO WE CAN MAKE NEW
DISCOVERIES AND POSSIBLY EVEN
DISCOVERING LIFE ON A WORLD
THAT's NOT OUR OWN.
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT JIM LEVEL
FOR A SECOND.
JIM LEVEL IS A NEIGH 50 PILOT BY
TRADE.
GO NAVY.
AND JIM LEVEL IS A RETIRED
CAPTAIN OF THE UNITED STATES
NAVY.
HE'S ALSO A VETERAN ASTRONAUT.
OF GEMINI 7 AND 12 AND WHILE
WE'RE CELEBRATING APOLLO 8, HE'S
EVEN MORE FAMOUS FOR THAT MOVIE
THAT WAS MADE IN THE 1990 DZ
CALLED APOLLO 13.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY GOOD
FRIEND CAPTAIN JIM LEVEL.
PUSH
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, JIM.
THANK YOU FOR THAT KIND
INTRODUCTION AND I THINK YOU
LAID OUT QUITE A FUTURE PLAN FOR
OUR SPACE ACTIVITIES.
IT WAS THE SUMMER OF 1968 THE
COUNTRY WAS PUMMELLED WITH AN
UNPOPULAR WAR IN VIETNAM AND
UPRISINGS AND IS AN
ASSASSINATIONS OF TWO PROMINENT
AMERICANS.
THE ME-TO MOVEMENT WAS JUST
BEGINNING WITH ANGRY WOMEN
THREATEDENING TO BURN THEIR BARS
IN PUBLIC PROTESTS AND HIPPIES
WERE CROWDING THE DISTRIBUTE
CORNERS.
I FINISHED MY SECOND SPACEFLIGHT
IN NOVEMBER 1966.
I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING
INVOLVED IN THE APOLLO PROGRAM.
I DIDN'T PAY ANY ATTENTION TO
WHAT WAS HAPPENING OUTSIDE
NASA's GATE.
DISASTROUS FIRE IN JANUARY 1967
ON THE APOLLO 1 COMPLEX KILLED
THREE FRIENDS AND DELAYED APOLLO
FOR 10 MONTHS.
COMMITMENT TO LAND ON THE MOON
BITE END OF THE DECADE WAS IN
JEOPARDY.
MY NEXT ASSIGNMENT WAS APOLLO 8.
EARTH ORBITAL FLIGHT SCHEDULED
FOR DECEMBER 1968.
CHECK OUT THE NEWLY DEVELOPED
LUNAR MODULE.
MY COMPANIONS WERE FRANKGOER MAN
AND BILL ANDREWS.
I FLEW WITH GOREMAN.
AND ANDERS WAS A ROOKIE AND THIS
MISSION WOULD GIVE HIM
EXPERIENCE WITH THE LUNAR MODULE
WITH A POSSIBLE LATER LUNAR
FLIGHT.
2 I'VE TWO INCIDENCE OCCURRED IN
THE SUMMER OF '68.
THAT CHANGED OUR MISSION AND THE
HISTORY OF APOLLO.
THE MAKER OF THE LUNAR MODULE
INFORMED THAT A LUNAR MODULE
WOULD NOT BE READY FOR DELIVERY
BEFORE '69.
SUDDENLY APOLLO 8 DID NOT HAVE A
MISSION.
NEXT, WE RECEIVED INTELLIGENCE
FROM THE RUSSIANS PLANNING TO
LAUNCH A MANNED CIRCUMSTANCE
COME LUNAR FLIGHT IN
DECEMBER 1968.
THEY WERE SERIOUS.
THEY FLEW THEM AROUND THE MOON
IN SEPTEMBER FOLLOWED BY
NOVEMBER.
IT WAS GEORGE LOWE MANAGER OF
THE APOLLO PROGRAM WHO HAD THE
BRILLIANT IDEA IF APOLLO 7's 10
DAY EARTH ORBITAL FLIGHT IN MID
OCTOBER TO CERTIFY THE SERVICE
MODULE, IF IT IS SUCCESSFUL THEN
LAUNCH APOLLO 8's COMMAND
SERVICE MODULE TO THE MOON.
NOT JUST TO CIRCUMSTANCE COME
NAVIGATE BUT TO COME NAVIGATE B
ORBIT.
WE TESTIFIED THE TPHAF TKPAEUGS
AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM AND
AND LOOKED FOR SUITABLE FUTURE
LANDING AREAS AND PROVIDE
CLOSE-UP PHOTOGRAPHY AND FINALLY
GIVE AMERICA THE UPLIFT IT
NEEDED.
WE HAD JUST 4 MONTHS TO PREPARE
FOR THE FLIGHT.
NASA MANAGEMENT HAD TO BE
CONVINCED THE SATURN V BOOTERS
STILL HAD PROBLEMS.
THE NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATION
SYSTEMS NEEDED UPGRADING AND
APOLLO 7 HAD TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
IT ANSWERED HIS DREAM TO BEAT
THE RUSSIANS TO THE MOON.
I WAS DELIGHTED.
TO ME THIS WOULD BE A MINI LEWIS
AND CLARK EXPEDITION EXPLORING
NEW TERRITORY ON THE MOON's FAR
SIDE.
IT ALL CAME TOGETHER ON THE
EARLY MORNING OF DECEMBER 21ST,
'19
'1968.
I SAW 360 FEET BELOW THE
LIGHTSES OF THE PRESS VEHICLES
DRIVING IN.
SUDDENLY I REALIZED I'M ACTUALLY
GOING TO THE MOON.
ALL THAT NAVIGATIONAL TRAINING I
HAD WAS FOR REAL.
7:21 APOLLO 8 STARTED IT'S
JOURNEY.
THERE HAD BEEN NO SIGN OF A
RUSSIAN LAUNCH.
OUR BOOSTER PUT US ON A LONG
ORBIT INTERCEPTING THE MOON IN 3
DAYS.
WE ENTERED LUNAR ORBIT ON THE
DARK SIDE THE MOON NOWHERE TO BE
SEEN.
AS WE CONTINUED TO ORBIT, SHARDS
OF SUNLIGHT STARTED TO
ILLUMINATE THE CRATEER DZ JUST
60 DZ MILES BELOW.
WE STARED IN SILENCE AS THE
ANCIENT CRATEER SLOWLY PASSED
UNDERNEATH.
I WAS OBSERVING THAT PART OF THE
MOON THAT HAD BEEN HIDDEN FROM
MAN FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS.
THEN LOOKING UP I SAW IT.
THE EARTH.
A BLUE AND WHITE BALL JUST ABOVE
THE LUNAR HORIZON 240,000 MILES
AWAY.
I THOUGHT, MY WORLD IS ONLY AS
FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE.
IN THE COUNTRY MOUNTAINS, HILLS
AND TREES CAN RESTRICT MY WORLD.
IN CITIES, TALL BUILDINGS DEFINE
MY WORLD AND IN THIS CATHEDRAL
MY WORLD EXISTS WITHIN THESE
WALLS.
BUT SEEING THE EARTH AT 240,000
MILES MY WORLD SUDDENLY EXPANDED
TO INFINITY.
I PUT MY THUMB UP TO THE WINDOW
AND COMPLETELY HID THE EARTH.
JUST THINK, OVER 3 BILLION
PEOPLE, MOUNTAIN OCEANS,
DESERTS, EVERYTHING I KNEW WAS
BEHIND MY THUMB.
AS I OBSERVED THE EARTH I REEL
I'DED MY HOME WAS A SMALL
PLANET.
ONE OF 9 IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM IT
IS JUST A MERE SPEC IN OUR MILKY
I WAY GALAXY AND LOST TO OH
PWHREUF ON.
I BEGAN TO QUESTION MY OWN
EXISTENCE.
NOT ONLY DO I FIT IN TO WHAT I
SEE.
AND THEN I REMEMBERED THE SAYING
I OFTEN HEARD, HOPE TO GO TO
HEAVEN WHEN I DIE.
I SUD PBLY REALIZED THAT I WENT
TO HEAVEN WHEN I WAS BORN.
I ARRIVED ON A PLANET WITH THE
PROPER MASS TO HAVE THE GRAPHTY
TO CONTAIN WATER AND AN
ATMOSPHERE.
THE ESSENTIALS FOR LIFE.
I ARRIVED ON A PLANET ORBITING A
STAR AT JUST THE RIGHT DISTANCE
TO ABSORB THAT ENERGY.
ENERGY THAT CAUSED LIFE TO
EVOLVE IN THE BEGINNING.
IN MY MIND THE ANSWER WAS CLEAR.
GOD GAVE MANKIND A STAGE UPON
WHICH TO PERFORM.
HOW THE PLAY ENDS IS UP TO US.
INFINITY LANDMARKS CAME INTO
VIEW.
FIRST WAS THE WALLS THE SEA OF
FER TILLTY.
AHEAD I COULD SEE THE MOUNTAIN
RANGE WINDING ITS WAY DOWN TO
THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY.
ON THE SHORE I FOUND MOUNT
MARYLAND A SMALL TRIANGULAR
MOUNTAIN THAT WOULD BE THE
STEPPING STONE FOR THE FIRST
LUNAR LANDING.
THE FLIGHT OF APOLLO 8 WAS A
COMPLETE SUCCESS.
ALL SPACECRAFT FUNCTIONED AS
PLANNED.
NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATION
OPERATIONS PROVED THEIR WORTH.
THE TIMING OF THE FLIGHT ORBIT
OF THE MOON AT CHRISTMAS
PROVIDED A SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENT
TO READ THE FIRST 10 VERSUS OF
GENESIS TO AN AUDIENCE ON EARTH.
WE GOT OUR WISH TO BEAT THE
RUSSIANS TO THE MOON.
AND ANDREWS BECAME A KR BE FOR
THAT ONE PHOTO PROVIDING
CONVINCING EVIDENCE THAT MANY
NATIONS ARE BUT ONE WORLD.
AS FOR ME IT PREPARED ME FOR MY
NEXT LUNAR MISSION APOLLO 13 BUT
THAT's ANOTHER STORY.
IT WAS THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
HOWEVER THAT RECEIVED THE
GREATEST GIFT AFTER A YEAR OF
CONTROVERSY APOLLO 8 GAVE THEM A
REASON TO BE AMERICANS.
THE FLIGHT OF APOLLO 8 CAN BEST
BE EXPRESSED BY A TELEGRAM
RECEIVED BY THE CREW.
IT ONLY SAID, "THANKS 1968."
THE FOLLOWING JULY I WAS ASKED
TO ESCORT CHARLES LINDBERGH TO
WATCH THE LAUNCH OF APOLLO 11.
AS WE LISTENED TO THE COUNTDOWN
I SAID TO HIM, TAKE A LOOK AT
THAT SATURN V ROCKET.
THE SPACECRAFT ON TOP WILL TRY
TO LAND ON THE MOON.
BUT I COULD TELL HE WAS IN DEEP
THOUGHT.
HIS MIND ELSEWHERE.
I SUSPECTED HE WAS THINKING OF
HIS OWN VOYAGE, THAT 35EUR8 LESS
34 HOUR OVER FLIGHT FROM
NEW YORK TO PARIS.
SUDDENLY HE ANSWERED.
APOLLO 11 WILL BE QUITE AN
ACCOMPLISHMENT
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
APOLLO 8 HAD INITIALLY 240,000
MILE VOYAGE FROM THE EARTH TO
THE MOON.
THAT's THE FLIGHT I WILL
REMEMBER.
[APPLAUSE]
>> DID I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME
I SAW THE EARTH RISE.
OUR BRILLIANT BLUE SUSPENDED IN
COLD COLORLESS SPACE.
I REALIZED HOW ISOLATED AND
LONELY WE ARE HERE ON EARTH.
BUT DESPITE THE VAST DISTANCE
THAT MADE THE PHOTOGRAPH
POSSIBLE WE HAD NOT LOST OUR
CONNECTION WITH THE NATURAL
WORLD.
WE REDISCOVERED IT.
WE SAW OUR ONE HOME TOGETHER IN
THE COSMO.
THE APOLO PROGRAM OVERCAME
IMMENSE ODDS TO ACCOMPLISH
SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY.
ONE OF HISTORY's GREATEST
COMPETITIONS A RACE BETWEEN
POWERFUL NATIONS RESULTED IN A
GRAND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY MADE
IN PEACE FOR ALL HUMAN KIND.
THE JOURNEY OF APOLLO 8 DAWNED
OF AWARENESS.
50 YEARS LATER, WE ARE FOR
DECISION AND ACTION IS AT HAND.
IF THE GREATEST LEGACY OF THE
FIRST FLIGHT TO THE MOON WAS THE
DISCOVERY OF EARTH, THEN OUR
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT LEGACY
IS TO PROTECT OUR OASIS AMONG
THE STARS.
THE ONE HOME TO ALL KNOWN LIFE.
THE SPIRIT OF APOLLO REFLECTS
SOME OF THE BEST PARTS OF HUMAN
NATURE.
OUR CURIOSITY AND CREATIVITY AND
OUR UNWILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT
IMPOSSIBILITY, IDEAS THAT SEEM
TO DEFY US INSTEAD AND INSPIRE
US AND ONCE UNITED ANY FEASIBLE
GOAL IS WITHIN OUR GRASP.
NO THE PHAER HOW FAR OUR ENGINE
AOUTY AND AMBITION TAKES US FLU
UNIMAGINED OPPORTUNITIES, LET US
ALWAYS REMEMBER THE MOMENT WE
LEFT EARTH FOR THE FIRST TIME
ONLY TO COME BACK AND DISCOVER
WHAT WAS TRULY PRECIOUS.
HOWEVER FAR WE MAY TRAVEL, WHAT
WILL ALWAYS MATTER MOST IS HOME.
AND ALL OF US TOGETHER, ALL OF
US HERE ON THE GOOD EARTH.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING
TONIGHT.
GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU ALWAYS.
AND MAY WE ALWAYS BE REACHING
FOR THE STARS.
THANK YOU.
