I write these reflections over 20 years from the event.

We had witnessed the last manned launch using Apollo era hardware. I recall a sense of sadness as I drove the VW north, returning to New England. The launch was fantastic, and flawless. We also had picture-perfect weather.

There was little of scientific value in this mission. There was great political importance. For the first time the United States and the Soviet Union would meet in orbit. I had great hope for future possibilities from this event. If we mourned the end of the Apollo era, could we celebrate the end of the cold war era as well? I hoped so. In fact I took several Russian language courses while I was an undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts. I figured that it would be useful given my major in astronomy.

In a northern Florida highway rest stop I listened to the radio. Someone was saying we should have an Apollo-Soyuz Test Project 2 and 3, since we had the men and the technology, "if Congress would give us the money, we could have a mission." I figured we had little chance of that.

There were some things I didn't figure: the "Evil Empire" and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

We have now had many kinds of joint missions with the Russians, and we are at work building the international space station. I think the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project had its impact. The first step in a long transition to a new era.

No, I never did get to use the Russian I learned for any professional purpose.

Many highway miles going north, a stop at South of the Boarder for a cup of tea and an english muffin. Am I the only one who likes that place?

The last Apollo era mission, and the last big trip I'd make in the green VW beetle.

My thoughts drifted back to student stuff. Thoughts of graduate school, jobs, and money.

By radio we could hear the mission was going well, but we saw no television pictures on the road for days. Being there in person is sometimes not as close as being there via television.

It would be a long time to the dawn of the shuttle era.

© 1999, Justin Milliun, Jr.