Apollo 13 is a classic movie that I had not had the opportunity to see before this Rose Scholars event. I really like older Tom Hanks movies like Castaway and Forrest Gump, and this movie did not disappoint. The movie was full of action and suspense, and I was rooting for the main characters to make it home safely the whole time. It was even more interesting because the movie was based on a true story. I was very entertained by the movie, but it is also interesting to think about how space travel is still relevant in today’s times. Back when the Apollo missions were happening and when men were first being sent to the moon, there was great national pride behind the government-funded projects. It is interesting to think about how the commercialization of space exploration with companies like SpaceX will affect the future of space travel. Is it still the government’s place to spend astronomical amounts of money on space exploration? Or is it better to leave it to privately-funded companies? I think space is an exciting and important field of study, and exploration of it should continue. However, I am not sure who should pay for the study. I think it is interesting that independent companies are venturing into the field, and I think it could result in faster discoveries. It will be interesting to see how the future of space travel develops.
Rose Scholars Fall 2019
Endless possibilities
Beyond introspection on Apollo 13 itself I thought it was interesting to see how engaged each and every rose scholar was with the movie. Even the proctor seemed to be enjoying himself. It really felt like a house community.
I liked your comment on whether the government or private companies should invest time and resources on space travel. I personally feel companies should feel free to endeavor on this field since they have vastly more resources, but having the government involved makes any accomplishment feel like a nationwide pride.