The Orbital Perspective

50 years ago we landed on the moon. It was an extraordinary accomplishment on many levels in achieving the goal set by President Kenedy “of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.“

Civic pride and scientific advancements were not the only outcomes of man’s exploration into space. One unexpected, but albeit, significant discovery was the change in perspective that comes from looking back and seeing planet Earth from space. This experience was felt first hand by the astronauts themselves and forever changed their minds. But anyone of us who looks at the photographs from space can’t help but be touched by a sense of awe as we see our home in all its glory, fragility, and wonder. 

“It was quite a shock, I don’t think any of us had any expectations about how it would give us such a different perspective. I think the focus had been: we’re going to the stars, we’re going to other planets,” said author and philosopher David Loy. “And suddenly we look back at ourselves and it seems to imply a new kind of self-awareness.”

The singular vision of the Apollo space program was to land on the moon. But the image it gave us of this planet we all inhabit serves as a lasting gift to us all. The ability to see the earth from this vantage point is what NASA astronaut Ron Garan called the “orbital perspective.” This perspective shift does not only affect how we come to understand the geography of our planet but how we exist on it. Garan described the Orbital Perspective had on him, “Part of this is the realisation that we are all travelling together on the planet and that if we all looked at the world from that perspective we would see that nothing is impossible.”

We’ve all experienced moments or experiences that provide us with a significant shift in perspective. When we live a life with a grand-awareness we become less absorbed in our selfish desires. What once seemed vitally important may fade away far off to the periphery.

How would a perspective shift in this way change the way you go about your day? Would you change your priorities? Would your relationships be different? Could resolutions be found to ongoing conflicts? Something like an orbital perspective is a gift we can try and attain down here on earth.