We all know the stories when watching the news. The climate summit this is year in Duban is stalemate as usual, the financial crisis sparked by greed and egocentric minds is still going strong and countries fight for religion, oil and general mistrust creating physiological or real borders of concrete and barbed wire.

Besides the fact that the world has never been a safer and better place than today conflicts and mistrust are apparently unavoidable elements of human living. We fight what we don’t understand and have a general fear of the unknown.

But we all have the ability to understand (or at least accept) everyone on this planet and the different cultures and mindset you may find. All it takes is an open mind or traveling to broaden your horizon. Having an open mind may already be a part of your personality or sometimes special circumstances is required when you are abroad voluntarily or for business such as an accident, a beautiful experience or falling in love.

The more you face the unknown the less you will fear. On a small scale you can go visit your neighbor. On a medium scale you can wander the world. On a large scale you go into space!

Going into space will give you the greatest sense of unity. You realize how we are all placed on this blue and green ball floating around in space and there is no logical explanation, seen from above, for the egocentric separation of cultures, countries and minds which we have created for ourselves on ground. The sheer beauty of our planet will change you forever. At least that is what I have heard.

Please stay calm for a moment and take a deep breath. I did not turn hippie this morning. I just live here and do believe that going into space changes people lives forever.

I will try and back this up by a bit of history.

In December, 1968, astronaut William Alison Anders left Earth together with Frank Borman and Jim Lovell on the first manned flight towards the Moon. He too, along with the rest of the crew, came back as a changed man and gave us the famous quote:

“We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth"

William Alison Anders took the first image of Earth seen from the Moon which inspired environmentalists everywhere and became later in his career the first chairman of the newly established Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which is responsible for nuclear safety and environmental compatibility.

In February, 1971, Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell also became a changed man when describing his trip into space as: “a feeling of bliss, timelessness, and connectedness”. In this article by Rebecca Sato she writes the following based on an interview:

“He describes becoming instantly and profoundly aware that each of his constituent atoms were connected to the fragile planet he saw in the window and to every other atom in the Universe. He described experiencing an intense awareness that Earth, with its humans, other animal species, and systems were all one synergistic whole. He says the feeling that rushed over him was a sense of interconnected euphoria”

During a spacewalk March 6, 1969, outside Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweikart also experienced that “everything is profoundly connected”. He also said: “When you go around the Earth in an hour and a half, you begin to recognize that your identity is with that whole thing. That makes a change…it comes through to you so powerfully that you’re the sensing element for Man.”

NASA astronaut Scott E. Parazynski who has countless mission in LEO and former personal physician for Astronaut John Glenn told CNN: "It's impossible for an astronaut to go into space and not come back, to some degree, an environmentalist," he said. "You see how beautiful and fragile and unique the planet is, in the entirety of the universe, and you want to do what you can to champion conservation efforts."

In an article by Sunita Menon Astronaut J. M. Linenger who still hold the records for logging most hours in space for US male astronauts told how: “that his experience in outer space has changed his whole perspective towards life. “ and “"I am a different person now. When you are out there looking at the Earth below, you see the big picture that changes your whole outlook. It's kind of strange. You have the big view of the world, but you are alone, you are cut off. You start to realize a lot about yourself and human nature, and ultimately it changes your whole perspective towards life."

In my time working with space I have heard these same stories about astronauts returning to Earth more aware of the environment, human life and culture. At least it does seem to hurt anyone.

I suggest we send all our world leaders into space for quick trip to be changed and to experience the unity of all mankind. So, please Sir. Richard Branson, will you please tag one or two seats in SpaceShip-II for “World Leaders Only”. Paying 200.000 dollars for each of these persons will surely be a very good investment if it could prevent more conflicts in the future. We should all chip in.

If Sir Branson says no maybe I should reserve the seat in my space capsule for some one who needs a change of heart. I think I have to discuss this with my partner Peter Madsen (who is supposed to be flying first) before taking the seat away from him.

If you could send someone into space to change them into being a better and more understanding person, who should it be? I do not know yet…

Ad Astra

Kristian von Bengtson