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Post by jaydeehess on Dec 3, 2005 11:35:16 GMT -4
BTW, is "fly to the Moon" technically correct? We refer to "spaceflight" but doesn't "flight" technically require an atmosphere? I pondered that before I started the thread. Flying is basically defined as "being airborne" or similarly described, so I agree it may be technically incorrect. But I went with it anyway... I first considered it when I found out that Michael Collins wrote a book titled "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story". I became further convinced to use the term when I saw that NASA has a website page titled "Human Space Flight", spaceflight.nasa.gov/home/index.htmlBut then, I remembered that ol' Blue Eyes sang the classic "Fly Me to the Moon". And kapow!, that was the clincher!! It is a small point and certainly leaving the surface of the Earth is a controlled and sustained fashion has always been referred to as 'flight'. Given that going beyond the confines of our atmosphere was not possible when the language was being formed I suppose that existing words were shoehorned into the new technological reality. Actually the same goes forthe word 'ship'. A ship was a water borne vessel. It was then used for 'airship' in the case of the Zepplins and later we got 'spaceship'.
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Post by Retrograde on Dec 4, 2005 13:39:28 GMT -4
It is a small point and certainly leaving the surface of the Earth is a controlled and sustained fashion has always been referred to as 'flight'. Words have the meaning people give to them...
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Post by jaydeehess on Dec 5, 2005 0:26:19 GMT -4
It is a small point and certainly leaving the surface of the Earth is a controlled and sustained fashion has always been referred to as 'flight'. Words have the meaning people give to them... True, and getting back to the original gist of this thread, words fail me in findin a way to convey what being given the opportunity to 'fly' to the Moon would mean to me. I might even accept a garunteed one way trip.
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Post by turbonium on Dec 5, 2005 22:26:06 GMT -4
Thanks for all the votes and comments to date, everyone. As would be expected, the vast majority of AH members would take up the offer in an instant. Some may see this thread topic as "useless" or a "waste of time", but I think it's worthwhile imagining the chance to live out a dream.
Imagination is the voice of daring. If there is anything Godlike about God it is that. He dared to imagine everything. - Henry Miller
Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will. - George Bernard Shaw
If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it. - William A. Ward
What is now proved was once imagined. - William Blake
You have all the reason in the world to achieve your grandest dreams. Imagination plus innovation equals realization. - Denis Waitley
Space exploration and human imagination are, in my opinion, a perfect match for each other. People have looked at the stars and dreamed since the time we first existed.
Keep the votes and comments coming, and thanks again.
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