An American completes a spacewalk

Finally, we are once again neck and neck with the Soviets. Not only did cosmonaut Edward White II complete a spacewalk, he even performed some mechanical tasks! Imagine being strong enough to make it into space, let alone complete tasks without the assistance of gravity.

I know I say this every time, but it really is such a joyous occasion at the space station each time we reach a milestone. These feats are not only a win for the teams involved, but they symbolize a win for America. Poetically, the achievement of these major milestones is so crucial to keep morale high for continued technological developments. But beyond progress within the Space Race, these milestones are the main source of fuel for the nation's morale as a whole. I never noticed how refreshing it is to see America come together to celebrate something until this joy was forcibly juxtaposed against a never-ending linger of fear and anxiety caused by this ongoing Cold War.