CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — On the eve of two prominent space anniversaries, the six humans circling the earth said yesterday they will join in the celebrations from the best vantage point of all — orbit.
Today marks the 50th anniversary of man’s first journey into space and the 30th anniversary of the first space shuttle launch.
“We’re going to spend the day tomorrow recognizing it in probably the best place you possibly can; that’s on orbit and looking at our beautiful earth,’’ American astronaut Ronald Garan Jr. said.
Dmitry Kondratyev, the space station’s Russian commander, said the human dream of flying to the stars came true with Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s flight on April 12, 1961.
“Fifty years is a short period of time in history, but look at that leap from a small spacecraft to the huge International Space Station,’’ Kondratyev said. “We hope that during the next 50 years, another leap that is not less than has been done, will be done.’’
