The space shuttle Discovery landed safely and soundly yesterday, in fact, so much so that space scientists believe that it will fly three more times this year. Our spaceflights are becoming so common that they are almost like everyday occurrences. While this is so the effect of these flights on these who take them is most unusual. In fact, when astronauts talk about their experiences in space they sound like they are almost religious experiences.
Rusty Schweickart said, “I’m not the same man. None of us are.” Before the flight he was totally committed to his life as an astronaut. But as he floated outside of Apollo 9 on his space walk 160 miles above the earth, he was overwhelmed by emotion. “I completely lost my iden...