You have won a ticket on the first commercial space-travel exploration. No luggage is
allowed on board, but you are permitted to take three personal items. What would your
personal items be? How will these items be useful for enhancing your journey?
What luck! I would want to document every moment of this rare opportunity both in
words and in pictures. Reviewing the success and failures of space pioneers like Michael Collins
could provide reassurance through my new adventure.
A travel journal would be a necessity. In the travel journal, I would write detailed
descriptions of experiences on board the spaceship. By documenting this phenomenal
exploration in writing, I ultimately become a historian for future generations. Writing is one of
the most compelling methods that historians use to communicate ideas and conclusions in order
to provide a lasting legacy.
A digital camera could provide a dual purpose. Not only could I vividly capture this
amazing journey but also I could store personal pictures. Memorable events might provide
guidance in unfamiliar surroundings. Additionally, photographs could preserve the expedition as
a graphic historical commentary.
The final item that I would bring on my exciting voyage would be a copy of Carrying the
Fire: An Astronaut's Journey by Michael Collins, a NASA astronaut and vital member of the
Gemini 10 and Apollo 11 space missions. I would look to Collins’ account of his voyages for
inspiration and direction. By studying the human tensions, physical realities, and personal
emotions surrounding the early years of the space odysseys, I could prepare for the excitement
and wonder of my own journey.