Space Age. The eternal desire to surpass oneself. True greatness, or compensation for inferiority? Obsessive desire for achievement, or pragmatism? What do they promise and what do they threaten us with on alien planets? What mirages deprive romantics of sleep? Why does the soul strive for heaven, and why do people not find a worthy use for themselves on earth? Cosmic dream For thousands of years, the earth has been our home. But it turned out to be just a nest. The jubilant tribe of people felt the wind in their outstretched wings. Chained to the rocky block of the planet, Prometheus threw off his chains. And he rushed into the interstellar distance, riding the silver carcasses of rockets rumbling with fire. In order to bring light from your cradle to the vastness of the universe. This is how people saw the beginning of the space age half a century ago. But reality overthrew the dreams. And it made me think about a lot. Was the jerk a false start? A game of ambition, for which you still have to pay? The resources of leading countries were burned up in the space race. Most of the problems on the planet could be solved with funds from just one of the space programs. Greatness turned into poverty, hunger in third world countries, and all the current political conflicts. But the feat of the first gave the world the most exciting prospect ever revealed. Dreams of power appeared in the images of cosmic cities. The desire to conquer the universe, filling it with yourself to the brim. Leave a mark on the paths of distant planets. Carry your seed to distant worlds, breathing life into space. Greatness fascinates and puts you to sleep. Reality and problems recede before the gaze of a romantic. Space promises oblivion. And at the same time it gives strength to awaken and live to the fullest. Because flights to the stars give birth to heroes. Eye of the Needle The honor of representing humanity in heaven has always been considered the destiny of the best. In those centuries, when the only way to the heavenly palaces was the gates of death, it was believed that only the righteous would overcome them. Others fell into the fire, unable to withstand the test. There was a metaphor of a diamond bridge connecting the worlds, as thin as a razor blade. Anyone who has achieved perfection could pass it. The peace of mind and inner harmony he had acquired were manifested here in a visible way. Other cultures have created the image of the eye of a needle. A narrow gate through which one cannot bring earthly riches. And even knowledge and experience, taken as treasures of the spirit. Having his heart attached to his savings, he is unable to squeeze through them, like a camel loaded with luggage through a narrow hole. Often there was an image of the heavenly court, or the formidable Guardians of the Threshold, protecting the sky from the unworthy. The gates opened to those who were able to prove their right to eternity. In societies more inclined to rely on themselves than on the mercy of the gods, the keys to heaven were a matter of struggle. The right to leave the earth in the prime of life was disputed by the strongest warriors and athletes. The most beautiful young maidens were selected for a trip to the stars, giving rise to modern beauty contests. Only instead of a chair in the rocket, the flames of a fire awaited them. Only in the form of a wisp of smoke could the best of the best reach the star worlds. Their current successors have slightly higher chances... People from Fire The tests of astronauts are not inferior in severity to the lists of the ancients. Although we do not look at them as ambassadors to the deities. However, in poems and films dedicated to the space epic, the same ancient motif is present. This means that the matter is not limited to pragmatics and calculation. Here we discover the same layers of the unconscious that thousands of years ago revealed themselves in the ancient mysteries. For the subconscious, an astronaut is the chosen one of the gods. With all due significance. The first cosmonauts were greeted as deities. Each flight was celebrated with a triumph equal to that of Imperial Rome. Those who returned from heaven were revered. Their words were given special meaning. They seemed to be the chosen ones of heaven, creatures of fire and steel. Heroes were endowed with unearthly beauty and moral perfection. They dreamed of imitating them, and their portraits became icons. And it was completely justified. But in fair delight, the features of a magical»