Mr. Armstrong

Hello readers of ION. Today I have the sad announcement that Neil Alden Armstrong passed away today at the age 82. 


I have talked plenty about my thoughts of space exploration during the mars landing, but this is a huge hit to my heart right here.

He pioneered places others wouldn't, and he inspired others by doing so. He is a man that I have the upmost respect for, and I feel that you should too.

He took steps where others wouldn't even think was possible to tread. He literally broke through boundaries that our ancestors didn't even think were there.

In a time as scary as the Cold War, he took the final leap we needed to push ahead, and move on.

He is the reason why we are where we are now.

Without his footsteps we would never ever be close to figuring out the reason why we are all here.

And without him, the world will hurt, but we will follow the path he has created, and be a little bit more curious.

He inspired so many so take on the challenge of seeing where his feet would guide us, and they have brought us so far.

With innovation being as great and as fast as it is this day in age, we tend to forget about our beginnings. We dirty the trail behind us with breadcrumbs, so we can seemingly find our way back home. But every once and a while, we turn around, to see how far we have come.

And today, we look back. We look at the amazing creation space exploration has become. And we turn our heads back around, and look forward once again.

Neil Armstrong sacrificed much of his life to substantially help pave that trail. And spark curiosity in all of us to where it will go.

We lost a great man today. But he inspired many more men and women to follow him on this journey.

His accomplishments compare to no one else. 

"This is one small step for man, but one giant leap for mankind."

So much like those famous words, what he's done over his 82 years has been a giant leap in the right direction.

Thank you Mr. Armstrong, for going places, others wouldn't.

RIP

-Rachael Robinson