posted 11-17-2002 06:33 AM               

My own motives and thoughts aren't easily explained (even to myself) but I think it's an equal mixture of simple interest in the events of the space race, the acquisitiveness of the collector and a dose of the spiritual.

The last element is the one that surprised me when I finally identified it as the source of much of the wonder and amazement that this hobby can bring.

When holding a lunar artifact in my hand I'm reminded that there is more to life and the universe than I will ever experience one billion billionth a part of. I'm reminded that I'm a here today, gone tomorrow moment while the moondust in my collection waited patiently for billions of years for an Apollo astronaut to scoop it up. I regret bitterly that I was too young to remember the moonlandings; I'd like to have shared the miracle on a summer night (as Chaikin called it).

The key element that really convinces me of this spiritual aspect of our hobby is the neccessity of faith. We (as individual collectors) will almost definitely never go to the moon and find out for certain that it really happened. We believe it, maybe with a certainty when our beliefs are backed up by evidence, but we'll never KNOW. We weren't there, and like I say, I don't think any of us are going.

For me that is one of the most unique things about our hobby. We can't personally verify even the events we are fascinated by, let alone the authenticity of the relics that we place such value on. Sports collectors, aviation collectors, fossil collectors, stamp collectors - the events/circumstances that these collectors value are not in dispute. There is no Sibrel going around athletes shoving bibles in their guts and demanding they swear to the actual occurence of the 1984 Olympics.

There are interesting (if slightly forced ) parallels between our hobby and medieval Christianity (stay with me on this one).

We (the collectors) are the parishioners.
The dealers in autographs and artifacts are a sort of priesthood, keeping the relics and dispensing a touch of the divine.
The astronauts are the prophets who have touched the face of God and returned to share it with us.

It's not a metaphor that stands up to detailed inspection I'll grant you, but I do think there is some truth in it, whatever labels we use. Chaikin's reference to a miracle seems very accurate to me, and I wonder if Russ Still had both meanings in mind when he called his book 'Relics Of The Space Race'. (Russ?)

Anyway, having just read this back I see that I come across as religiously obsessed astronaut stalker, so I'll just end by saying that I'm a confirmed agnostic, and that all the above is a very introspective analysis of why I collect space when the day to day truth is - I enjoy it.

So why do you collect space?

posted 11-17-2002 07:14 AM               

An excellent thread. I had some input onto the thread to which I think you refer. I do remember the Apollo missions. I remember the Apollo 8 mission very well. I stayed up all night with my mother as a child to watch the Apollo 11 moonlanding. Although I was a child the memory of this great historic moment is still with me. My mother died a few years ago, I still have the memory of sharing that great moment in the history of mankind with her. I was glad that I was alive to watch the greatest adventure that man had ever undertaken that realisation was with me even at that age.

Why do we collect, I have always been interested in space travel, I was a child during the era of Apollo. I regard the people who flew those missions as heroes.
As a child they were my heroes, I would have done anything to take their place.

I have for the past few years thru the Internet been fortunate to be able to acquire signed photos of, and indeed contact some of the people who flew these missions, and even walked on the moon.

When you collect the artifacts such as photos, flown items., when I see and hold these articles it brings back memories of a great era, it sometimes strikes me that the piece that I own, can see and hold has been held and signed by one of the few to walk on another world. They are a little piece of history, a part of that great endeavour.

As I said in an earlier thread I also collect memorabilia to pass onto my children. They are interested like I am - in the manned space programme. I have most of the autographs of the Apollo crews now.

Its a great feeling to hold the signed photos when you first get them!!

The hobby itself is a great interest in my opinion. It takes my mind off the difficult, at times unpleasant work that I have to do. I do have other interests fishing, and stuff. I do have other things to occupy my time. It is not an obssession yet!!!.

Matt, enjoyed reading your thread

Best wishes

Andrew

posted 11-17-2002 08:52 AM               

quote:

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The dealers in autographs and artifacts are a sort of priesthood

---

I've been called a lot of things in my time but never refered to as a member of the priesthood, though these days I am somewhat beginning to evolve into a Friar Tuck.

Bless you my son.

posted 11-18-2002 10:37 AM               

Another reason for my interest is the machinery that was created to do the job. Being a technically oriented person, I’m amazed at the engineering challenges that were overcome in the early days to achieve the objectives that were given. The fact that we went from a sub-orbital flight to a moon landing in less than ten years still boggles my mind. I can’t walk through the Saturn V exhibit at KSC or the Rocket Park at the space center in Huntsville without being totally amazed at the technological achievements of our space program. When I look at the lunar module or the space shuttle orbiter, I see the great potential of man’s technical abilities realized.

Lastly, I believe my interest is so strong because space represents the next step of human evolution. Obviously I’m not talking about biological evolution here, but the next logical step for our species. I admit I do become frustrated with the short-sightedness of many of our leaders and population with regard to space exploration, but I truly believe this to be essential if humanity is to survive.

posted 11-18-2002 04:47 PM               

On a more personal level, I built models while growing up and now have the chance to scratch build models, collect some of the contractor models and artifacts that were a part of the actual programs, AND have the opportunity to interact with folks who made these trips.

So lets see... I can spend pleasant time building models, enjoy the time looking for artifacts, enjoy surfing for items here and there, enjoy travels to places to see some of these early voyagers (and take in other aspects of these new places), live in a place with a comfortable decor surrounded by history, meet and interact with others who enjoy a similar sense of history..... do I need to go on!!!

posted 11-22-2002 12:19 PM            

It's a statement that space is important to us. The anti-space people say things like, "All we got from Apollo was a bunch of rocks!" and, "Why go on to Mars? No one cares about it one way or the other."