Christian astronaut Charlie Duke collecting geological samples by a small crater on the Moon. You can see the lunar rover behind him on the far side of the crater.
He, along with fellow astronaut John Young, explored the lunar Descartes Highlands in 1972.
“Image credit: NASA/Charlie Duke
Since the end of the Apollo manned Moon landings in 1972, the political will to do great things in space has been greatly diminished. Many involved with the human spaceflight industry are realizing that the Apolloesque Big Government model of human spaceflight is too expensive.
Rather, a new commercial approach is needed in which NASA becomes one of several customers of private rocket launchers. That model is catching on with NASA and a company called Space X, which successfully tested its rockets and space capsule in 2010. Unfortunately, this effective model is threatened by people more motivated by immediate politics than what is best for space exploration. This is an important area for Christians to be informed about, in part because of the stories of Christian astronauts.
The late astronaut Jim Irwin was a Christian who explored an area on the Moon in 1971 called Hadley Rille. In Destination: Moon he writes about the difficulty of setting up a science experiment on the Moon and how part of it malfunctioned. He wasn’t sure what to do so he prayed, “God, what shall I do?” He wrote that he seemed to hear, “Jim, down on your knees!” In his stiff, bulky spacesuit he got down on his knees and discovered that from this position he could reach the necessary components to fix the science station!
Another Christian moon walker, Charlie Duke, had this short and simple message about his experiences: “My walk on the Moon lasted three days, but my walk with Christ lasts for eternity.”
Buzz Aldrin, on the first Moon landing, brought out a small vile of wine and a Communion wafer. He read John 15:5 (KJV), “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” The, right there at Tranquility Base, he took the Communion elements
Manned space exploration allows for a spiritually edifying component to science. Hopefully those in positions of influence will allow more opportunities for Christian astronauts to give glory to God from beyond Earth.
