OPINION

Viewpoint: The last Apollo mission

Pensacola

Geologist Harrison Schmitt compared the weightlessness of walking on the moon to being in water — without the water.

“It’s very enjoyable for the most part,” said Schmitt, the only scientist to ever walk on the moon — back in 1972, during the Apollo 17 mission. “Your weight is only one-sixth of what it is on earth. Your body feels like it’s on a giant trampoline.”

Kristine Crane

Schmitt, now 80 years old and a native of New Mexico, who also became a U.S. senator there, will share his insights about space exploration at at lecture at IHMC at 6 p.m. Thursday. The lecture, titled, “1903-1969: The Wrights to Armstrong,” will cover the scientific and technological developments leading up to his Apollo mission, which marked the last one.

Schmitt’s lecture is titled “1903-1969: The Wrights to Armstrong.”

“Between these two unique historic events, air travel became routine and space travel had left the realm of science fiction and entered reality,” Schmitt said. “The scientific, economic, defense and life benefits arising from the accomplishment of these two events changed the course of the future for America and all nations.”

Specifically, Schmitt notes the “rapid advancement of flight and rocket technologies” and the accompanying understanding of physiological changes in space and developments to deal with those as crucial to “establishing the foundation for space flight.”

Geopolitical pressures contributed greatly to these developments, he added. If World Wars I and II led to high-performance aircraft, then the Cold War spurred space exploration.

“There were always international pressures that were pushing the technology forward,” Schmitt said. “It doesn’t mean that wouldn’t have happened anyway, but maybe over a much longer period of time.”

Schmitt said these developments spilled over into society at large.

“Technologically, that period stimulated the advancement of computers and microelectronics,” Schmitt said, adding these were critical to space flight, as well as the economies of the U.S. and world.

“These weren’t just advancements that led to understanding space; but to improving the technological foundations of humankind.”

Schmitt said that currently, the political incentive for continued space exploration is lagging in the U.S. (but strong in China, India and Europe.)

“It may return, but it’s not there and hasn’t been there for some time,” he said. “That second source of enthusiasm is just waiting for leadership in Washington to get deeply involved.”

Meanwhile, the scientific and engineering community are still deeply vested in space exploration, he added. And private investors may also invest in space, given the commercial potential of resources such as helium-3 on the moon — discovered during Schmitt’s Apollo mission — which could one day fuel our power plants.

Want to go?

What: IHMC’s Evening Lecture Series.

When: 6 p.m. Thursday (reception at 5:30).

Where: IHMC, 40 S. Alcaniz St., Pensacola.

Note: Seating is limited; to reserve, call 202-4462, or RSVP to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/harrison-jack-schmitt-evening-lecture-registration-20475982214