Walk-about, July 1969

Two anthropomorphic meerkats, adorned in weathered, brown leather jackets with brass buttons, wide-brimmed hats with sweat-stained bands, and utility belts laden with pouches and tools, stand confidently, gazing up at the lunar landscape as they intersect with Neil Armstrong, clad in his iconic white spacesuit, stepping off the Eagle lunar lander onto the Moon's dusty surface in 1969. The desolate, grey moonscape stretches out behind them, punctuated by the lander's shadow and the American flag planted firmly in the ground. The scene is set against a deep, blue-grey sky with a hint of purple, illuminated by the distant Earth, a bright blue and white marble suspended in the blackness of space. Wait a minute! Was this on our itinerary?