I remember vividly a BBC news broadcast reporting an ambitious plan that President John F. Kennedy announced before a joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961. The U.S. would land a man on the moon before the decade is over. I was a 14-year-old boy, in Damascus, Syria. I had already decided to become a surgeon, and that I would do my training in the US.

I had no doubt that America would succeed in landing a man on the moon, a seemingly impossible achievement. But in my mind America and Americans could accomplish anything and everything they decided to do.

On July 20, 1969, shortly after my 22^nd birthday, my family and I were glued to our small transistor radio. We gathered on a balcony at our home where we thought the reception would be best. We were listening to another BBC broadcast, a broadcast that was punctuated by periods of static noise and interruptions. the Lunar Lander, also known as the Eagle, was about to land on the moon. Michael Collins, one of the three astronauts who were manning the Apollo 11 mission was orbiting the moon in the Command Module, Columbia. My two other American heroes were about to make History; they pinpointed their landing spot on the moon, the Sea of Tranquility. Suddenly, the static disappeared, and the voice of Neil Armstrong came crisp and clear: “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”

The applause on our little balcony was deafening. Similar applause was rising from other balconies in our neighborhood. Shortly after, the British announcer reported that Armstrong was about to become the first human to set foot on the surface of the moon. We held our breath. Was it really happening? Armstrong’s voice came over the waves again: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” I remember jumping for Joy and crying! Yes, America, my future home, and Americans are indeed capable of everything!

Americans were not the first in space but were the first to land a man on the moon. And America went on to develop the most robust and best space program, the envy of the world.

Can we still accomplish great things?

Handling the pandemic left some doubt in our minds, about our abilities: can we still accomplish the amazing stuff that the world expects us to accomplish? The stuff that we expect our Country to accomplish. Do “we” still have the “Right Stuff?”

Last week, we observed a solemn milestone in the pandemic, the loss of over half a million of our family members, friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens. There were many missteps in the handling of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, including how the vaccine rollout was and is being executed.

But there is no doubt that “Operation Warp Speed” that resulted in the development of several vaccines in record time, was a resounding success. Our scientists still have the “right stuff.”

On February 18, 2021, the NASA Mars Rover Perseverance successfully landed on Mars. Specifically, in Jezero Crater, an ancient Martian lake roughly the size of Lake Tahoe. This site was selected because it is believed that ancient life may have excited there. Imagine that. We were able to land on the Red Planet, exactly on the spot we preselected, a great American accomplishment.

The trip to Mars is 309 million miles. The Mars Rover did not orbit the Red Planet, rather it entered its atmosphere and went directly to its landing spot, a novel and hazardous approach. Entering Mars atmosphere required a precise orchestration of deceleration using a “supersonic parachute” that fired retrorockets. It also required a “sky crane” to lower it onto the surface of Mars. Perseverance carried a small helicopter called “Ingenuity,” which would survey Mars by air and help with the scientific experiments that are planned. I still can’t wrap my head around such an amazing accomplishment. I watched the landing after the fact on You Tube with Joy and Pride. I recommend spending seven minutes to watch it for yourself.

Watch ‘7 Minutes Of Terror’ As NASA Perseverance Rover Descends To Mars | NBC News.

We are not the only country with a space program exploring Mars. In fact, Mars is getting crowded. Presently there are six orbiters, three Americans, one that belongs to the European Union and Russia, one Indian, One Emirati and one Chinese. The Chinese is scheduled to send a lander to the surface of Mars in May. But for now, the only “rovers” on the surface of Mars are Americans: Curiosity, Insight and Perseverance.

I think it is healthy that our space program has competitors; sharing our knowledge, exchanging ideas, and even learning from them is a good way to go. For now, however, we continue to be the leaders in space exploration.

Do we still have the “Right Stuff?”

Of course, we do!