Sanford and Son go to the moon

I suppose it’s time I quit being so negative about the economy and find something else to be negative about. Not to worry, all it takes is reading the morning newspaper and I find an article that motivates me. It seems NASA had to move the most recent astronauts into an escape module for their protection. These people are in space folks. You know that infinite, uncluttered area above earth’s atmosphere. Well, it used to be relatively uncluttered until we started using it for a dumping ground. This all started some 22 years ago in 1957 as the Russians launched “Sputnik I”. Later that same year they put Sputnik II and a dog they named Laika into orbit. In 1961 Yuri Gagarin became the first human to pilot a spacecraft aboard “Vostok I”.
Not to be out done, the USA sent Alan Shepard into space later that same year. By 1962, John Glenn orbited the earth three times aboard Friendship 7. Since that time, we have sent probes, spacecraft, men, women and lord knows what else into space. We have watched as men walk on and ride lunar landing crafts over the desolate surface of the moon. The Russians put seven space stations into orbit and in 1973; the USA launched space station “Skylab”. The satellite design allows astronauts to live and work in orbit for prolonged periods. The space station not only serves as a laboratory and living space for astronauts, but also as a support base for other spacecraft that have the ability to dock with the station. In 1986, the Soviet Union launched the Space Station Mir. During its 15-year lifetime, it was the largest space station to orbit the Earth.
We have brought back an untold number of rocks and soil for examination. While doing all this we also left our “stuff” on the lunar surface. We also eject or simply lose parts into space. The article in today’s paper is a direct result of these “floating” parts. NASA officials think it is a small weight with a 39-inch string attached. It is “floating” around at approximately 20,000 MPH. Our NASA folks call it “space junk.” If any of this junk gets within a 2.8-mile radius of our astronauts, they have to take cover. I’m not sure if NASA or anyone else has a clue what would happen if one of these 20,000 mph projectiles hit something.
I have no idea if other forms of life exist. I neither support the claim nor poke fun at those who believe we are not the only “things” in the universe. I do know this. If other forms of life are out there, they are not happy with Sanford and Sons using the universe as a junk yard.