The ground trembled as a deafening roar split the air, and in a blinding eruption of flame, Apollo 11 tore free from Earth, its thunder echoing through my chest as I stood frozen watching humanity defy gravity. The Apollo 11 mission took humanity to the ethereal monument in the sky that was visible but never reachable. It took the combined effort of hundreds of thousands of people and decades of technology to have a man walk on the moon. If I could revisit one event that shaped America’s history it would be the launching of the Apollo 11 rocket. The collaboration, innovation, and determination needed by that team is what makes it meaningful to me.
The Apollo 11 mission required the innovative thinking of thousands of engineers, to develop every component of the spacecraft from the guidance systems to life-support. Their ability to solve unprecedented challenges with creativity is what inspires me to pursue engineering. I have some experience with the design process from my robotics career. Part of my job was to brainstorm systems. I found that I loved solving problems through design, and I want to carry that into a career. That’s why I aim to become a biomedical engineer: to create solutions that help people and push the boundaries of what’s possible, just like the engineers behind Apollo 11 did.
Two other inspiring aspects of the mission were the collaboration and determination. As a captain of my cross country and track teams, I’ve learned the value of pushing through challenges with the support of others, leading by example, and staying focused on a common goal. In robotics, every successful design came from listening to different ideas and working through setbacks as a team. Even during my time volunteering at the VA hospital, I’ve seen how meaningful progress in people’s lives often comes through teamwork, whether it’s staff coordinating care or volunteers supporting the patients and each other. These experiences have shown me that determination and collaboration are at the heart of any breakthrough, and they’ve shaped how I want to approach both engineering and life.
The Apollo 11 mission represents the very best of what people can achieve through innovation, collaboration, and determination. Seeing it unfold would strengthen my resolve to follow in the footsteps of those engineers who solve problems and contribute to something greater than themselves. The mission’s success was not only a technological feat, but a symbol of what can be achieved through shared vision and hard work. Being there would remind me that history is built by people who commit to a goal and never give up. That’s the legacy I want to carry forward in my life.
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