May 27th, 2008

May 27^th, 2008

There is an astronaut floating in space. He was flung from the outside of his ship while he was working on the oxygen tanks. A quick burst from the tanks was just enough to shoot him just out of reach. He has drifted far from the safety that is the ship, which is now but a speck in the distance.  Fortunately for him his suit has a built in oxygen tank, a new addition that was acquired just before this mission was taken.

They were sent up to study the effects of direct sunlight, not filtered by Earth’s atmosphere, on various chemicals and plants from our planet Earth. But none of this is a concern to the astronaut who is floating in space.  What is more of a concern is how long he has, his chance for survival, and naturally, the thought of his family back on Earth. He is also concerned for the two other men on the ship he recently departed. Will they be able to make it back without him? Will they risk their lives to rescue me? Are they even trying?

One small shining light in this event was that the astronaut was truly able to witness the wonderful beauty that is our solar system. Free from the inside of his ship he was now able to feel one with his surroundings. Earth was more beautiful than he could ever imagine. The vibrant blues of the ocean and the bright white of the clouds over top. He imagined he could see his children playing in their pool from so far above. He liked to think that they could look up, and look up, and look up just enough to see him waving to them. So he waved. He waved to Earth, and he waved to his ship, and he turned and waved to the Sun. It was at this point he became content with his life. He had experienced something no man had ever done before. He was alone in this feeling, just as he was alone in space, and this made him feel just fine.

And then, breaking the silence, he heard a faint crackle, a hiss, and then a voice come in through the speakers in his helmet.

            “Dr. Pheon, can you hear us?”

            “Why yes, yes I can.”

            “We have located your position, and the rescue mission has begun.”

            “Please, take your time,” the astronaut said, with a smile on his face.