The End of the Beginning

What began as a competition of fear in 1958 became a quest for common ground 17 years later. On July 15, 1975, Russia launched their Soyuz spacecraft into orbit. Seven hours later, the Saturn IB launched an Apollo Command Service Module fitted with the first international space component, a docking ring. It enabled old enemies to link up in space and establish a new world goal, hand in hand. Fifty-two hours after the Soyuz launch, the two spacecraft linked up and spent two days together, sharing space as one. In our time, this was witnessed as "one giant leap for mankind." As proud a moment as it was, the giant leap was not just walking on the moon. It was also a giant leap of faith, a new understanding inspired by our first sight of this fragile Earth from space.

Florida · United States