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Famed NASA Astronauts Launch New Pro-Life Ad

By John Jalsevac

July 16, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Twice before the pro-life organization CatholicVote.org has produced pro-life ads that have attracted national attention, being viewed millions of times online - despite the fact that (or perhaps because) major networks, including CNN, refused to air them.

Now CatholicVote.org has announced the launch of another ad - the third in the "Life:Imagine the Potential Series." And this time they are doing it with the help of famed NASA astronauts.

Dr. Joseph Kerwin, the first American doctor in outer space, joined other former NASA greats - including retired astronaut Dr. Bill Thornton and Mr. Gene Kranz, the Flight Director at Mission Control during the Apollo program, including the famous Apollo 13 mission - on Monday at a press conference in Houston to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11's historic landing on the moon and to launch the new ad by CatholicVote.org.

The new ad opens up with a detailed 3D ultrasound of an unborn baby, and the words "At 5 weeks his heart will beat." The ad continues, "At 9 weeks his feet will form," and "At 80 weeks he will take his first step." The ad concludes with famous footage of Neil Armstrong taking his first steps on the moon and the words "at 2024 weeks...". The final shot shows a footprint on the moon and the "Imagine" slogan.  

The ad will be playing for the next several weeks in various markets in Houston.

"For thousands of years, man has looked at the moon and the stars in awe. But forty years ago, we did the unthinkable: We landed on the moon," said Dr. Kerwin at Monday's press conference. "This new ad by CatholicVote.org captures the spirit of this historic mission by highlighting the potential of human life."

Brian Burch, President of CatholicVote.org, said that putting a man on the moon was once thought impossible.

"Neil Armstrong will go down in history as one of the greatest explorers.  His long journey to the moon started, as each of us started, with a small kick in our mother's womb," said Burch. "Today, we salute the astronauts of Apollo 11 and all other brave pioneers who give meaning to the potential of every human life."

CatholicVote's most famous ad yet - which has been watched nearly two million times online - begins with an ultrasound of an unborn child, and explains that the child will be abandoned by his father, while his single mother will struggle against significant hardships to raise him. The ad then explains that despite the odds the baby will go on to become the next President of the United States, and shows a picture of Barack Obama and the slogan, "Life: Imagine the Potential." After that ad skyrocketed to internet fame, CatholicVote.org attempted to have it shown on CNN and NBC - but both networks rejected it.

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