On the Edge of Space
In the classic, must watch movie The Right Stuff, there is this incredible scene where test pilot Chuck Yeager takes his plane to the very edge of space (minute 6.10 – 6.20 in the link above).
As the pilot begins to lose control of his plane, there is this moment when you can feel the pilot leaving the atmosphere. The blue of the sky begins to fade into the deep black of space. It is a nebulous moment, for the simple fact that the pilot is really pushing the envelope – both for himself and his aircraft.
Whenever I am on a plane and I open the blinds to a view like this, it reminds me of the magic of that scene. It makes me want to ask the pilots to take our plane higher, so maybe I too can see that nebulous boundary that marks the end of our atmosphere and the very edge of space.
(Don’t watch past minute 7.00 in the link above if you haven’t seen the movie in full!)
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