By Kathryn Lane
For those who do grow up, imagination provides
the ability to be creative.
The marvelous human mind can combine
imagination with the disciplines of mathematics, physics, and countless other subjects,
thus developing new technologies. Imagination combined with drawing, color
theory, and perspective can express incomparable beauty through art and
sculpture. Imagination and the study of language and writing can create masterpieces
of literature.
Yet it all starts as a belief that the
impossible is possible.
The recent flights to the edge of space, first
by Branson and quickly followed by Bezos, made me reflect on the art of flying.
The Wright Brothers invented the first viable flying machine in 1903, after
years of research and experiments.
 |
| Wright Brothers' Plane |
The Kitty
Hawk “flight” occurred a mere 118 years ago. In that short time span, the art
of flight has advanced so much that countless astronauts have flown to space,
orbited the earth in their spacecraft, worked at the international space
station, and a select group have walked on the moon.
Model of Leonardo Da Vinci Flying Machine
The idea of man-powered flying
captured the imagination of Leonardo DaVinci, artist and sculptor, four hundred
years before the Wright Brothers success. The modern helicopter is similar to
Leonardo’s Ornithopter design from the 1480s.
Branson and Bezos flew to the edge of
space. Each man had an ultimate belief in his flying adventure. Each one has a
dream of creating space tourism, albeit rich tourists, to experience a split-second
glimpse at our earth from a spot close to the Karman line, the imaginary
boundary that separates earth’s atmosphere from
the edge of space.
Both men have been seriously
criticized for their expensive adventures, yet they must have felt like Peter
Pan. They could FLY!
In another decade or so, spacecraft
will probably be taking people beyond the Karman line for a brief spin into
outer space and maybe even a suborbital flight around earth. Maybe it will
become a real tourist boom and prices will be affordable to more people.
As a writer, I don’t doubt stories and novels of various
genres will involve more short trips into space. Space travel will no longer be
exclusive to science fiction.
As for my own travel plans, planet earth still offers a lot
of enticing places to visit.
If someone offered you a ticket on the next trip to the
Karman line, would you take it?
***
Kathryn’s mysteries – The Nikki
Garcia Thriller series:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B08C7V2675/ref=dp_st_1942428944
Kathryn’s short story collection – Backyard
Volcano and Other Mysteries of the Heart
https://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Volcano-Other-Mysteries-Heart/dp/1943306044
All available on Amazon.
https://www.facebook.com/kathrynlanewriter/
Photo Credits:Peter Pan Flight by HarshLight is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Wright Brothers’ Plane in the Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk,
North Carolina by Jared
Enos is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Da Vinci flying machine by mahjqa is licensed under CC
BY-NC-SA 2.0
Right now, I think I'll simply fly in my mind or like you, on earth. Though I will admit that the first time I saw Peter Pan, I was somewhere around two or three... my mother turned to find me leaping from the couch. She caught em before I crash landed.
ReplyDeleteDebra, I did something similar after seeing Peter Pan, but I was about five and took a nasty landing off a fence. After that I left flying to the birds!
DeleteI share your sense of wonder, and found the two billionaires' adventures riveting, especially afterwards hearing Bezos's crew mate, the irrepressible 82-year-old astronaut Wally Funk, one the all time Great Dames.
ReplyDeleteI ate it up like crazy since I've always marveled at the thought of space travel. And yes, Wally was delightful. I loved it when she said she never played with dolls, but instead played outside.
DeleteI might accept the invitation to the Karman line, Kathryn. The most exciting flight I've ever taken was in a tiny Lear jet, which reached 10,000 feet so fast I'd hardly had time to buckle my seat belt. Smooth ride, and thrilling. Although I'm not sure our current space cowboys have mastered the "smooth" part yet.
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Gay. Like Wally Funk, you'd love it! I don't expect to receive an invitation, so I doubt I'll ever make it.
DeleteI had an opportunity to apply to be the teacher who went into space on the Challenger (when Christa McAuliffe was chosen). I seriously considered applying, but in the last moment chickened out.
ReplyDeleteI cannot even imagine how you felt when you saw the Challenger explode. The images I saw on TV haunted me for months. Thanks for sharing that information.
Delete