A Review of Good Night Oppy by Nick Olszyk
Distribution Service: Amazon Prime
MPAA Rating, PG
USCCB Rating, Not rated at the time of this review
Reel Rating, Four Reels
In every culture that has existed, at any time in its
history, God has always resided “in the Heavens.” When humans look up towards
the sky, whether filled with clouds or stars, they are always looking towards
the divine. Space exploration continues this wonder, not because God physically
resides somewhere “out there,” but the time, devotion, effort, and creativity
that this endeavor requires brings out the best in God given human talents. Good
Night Oppy is a new documentary that chronicles one of the most successful
of these endeavors, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, which collectively
spent two decades exploring the Martian surface. It is a movie of pure joy, a
celebration of the challenges, disappointments, and ecstasies that come with
discovery, not just of the outside Universe but the inner spirit of man.
Before
the rovers, NASA had three successful landings on Mars and many more
unsuccessful. This program, however, would not simply land on the surface but
to gently place two moveable robots that could take photos, analyze soil
samples, and even whether storms. The primary goal was finding evidence of
liquid water and possibly even microbial life. The first, named Spirit,
was led by newcomer Jennifer Trosper; the second, named Opportunity (Oppy
for short) was led by veteran scientist Steven Squyres. Like most NASA
missions, there were many problems and teeth grinding moments, but both robots reached
Mars safely in the Spring of 2004. The robots were built to function for ninety
days. Anything longer was “just a bonus.” In fact, Spirit wouldn’t stop
until 2010, and Oppy would continue all the way until 2018, dozens of
times longer than anticipated. Along the way, they took thousands of photos and
found plenty of evidence that Mars had been warmer and wetter at one point in
its past. Whether they found conclusive evidence of life is up for debate.
While
the imagination of man can be a
testament to original sin, it can also be a witness to the glory of God.
What was most astounding about the rover program was the engineers’ ability to troubleshoot
problems based purely on computer screen data sent by a robot fifty-four million
miles away. At one point, Spirit’s top right wheel stopped working. The
engineers got the robot to swivel around and travel backwards, carrying the
lame leg behind it. Spirit continued to operate, despite this awkward position,
for another few years. Despite changing political climates and budgets constrictions,
they sallied onward. This program, far from a tower of Babel, was a triumph of
rational thinking, cooperation, and using talents humbly.
When
scientists and engineers speak of Spirit and Oppy, it is hard for
these top minds to avoid anthropomorphism. They always refer to Oppy as “she,”
not “it.” When Oppy finally dies, there isn’t a dry eye in the house.
They talk of its “personality” and “stubbornness.” This is not because they really
think robots are ethically people, but Oppy does, in a sense, encapsulate,
their hopes and dreams. Its longevity also marks their own lives. When Steven
Squres, Oppy’s operational chief, starts the mission, he is young and
vibrant. Speaking at the end, he is gray and mature. Spirit’s chief,
Jennifer Trosper, was a new mother when the rover launched. By its completion,
her children were heading off to start their own lives. These robots didn’t
replace their own families but provided meaningful context and helped them
appreciate the flighting nature of time.
Good
Night Oppy is a wonderful, gentle documentary that celebrates the joy of
scientific curiosity while avoiding the dregs of scientistic philosophy so prevalent
in many similar pictures. In 2005, a survey of religious belief was
given to a wide variety of academics in sciences. The highest rate of theism
was among astronomers and cosmologists, the lowest among sociologists and psychologists.
When one gazes at the stars, it is easy to see the Lord. We might love Oppy
but only because we love He who enabled us to create it.
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