With the fiftieth anniversary of the Moon Landing fast approaching, I knew our recent trip to Florida had to include a visit to the Kennedy Space Center. How could we not go and relive the excitement of the United States’ journeys to the sky and the moon? So we did!
We went on an uncrowded Sunday, the first one in June 2019. Not quite seven weeks before the historic 50 anniversary which will be on July 20! Although we did not take the bus tour to the launch pads, since we did that four years ago, we still had more than enough to do by touring through the exhibits. At each one remembering our own excitement as we watched the race to space advance during our lifetime.
While there, we made sure to visit the memorial to those men and women who gave their lives while involved in the space program. The names of the Apollo and shuttle crews who perished are inscribed in a black wall reaching to the skies. We were the only ones at the memorial when we went. I wish everyone would visit this area of the Space Center. Those who perished in the two shuttle catastrophes are also memorialized in the exhibit featuring the Atlantis Space Shuttle.
Atlantis, the last of the Space Shuttles, is housed in a giant building. You cannot appreciate the size of the shuttle and its rockets until you are standing next to them. Impressive! You learn so much about the ability of so many who worked together to create the space program.
But before the space shuttles came the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. The Center is filled with information about the astronauts, the engineers and the many people who helped create the leap into space.
Friendship 7 Mission Control
The Heroes and Legends includes an Astronaut Hall of Fame and an exhibit of the original mission control. While looking at this room, you watch a short video about John Glenn’s first orbits around the Earth and the fears when one of the lights came on indicating that the heat shield had come loose. Luckily that was not the case, but you sense the fear. Mission control looks so outdated today. Computers and electronics are now so advanced.
I now understand, even more, why the mathematicians I learned about in the book and movie, Hidden Figures, were so important. The state of technology was low, and brains were important. I loved learning about Katherine Goble in the movie. Seeing the mission control short movie about the Friendship 7, reminded me the importance of her calculations, which were also used in the Apollo 11 and Space Shuttle missions, even though she is not mentioned. I believe it is important to remember all the women who also had an impact on the space programs! I once thought my daughter would join these women at NASA. (See blog below.)
Mock up of the newest moon rocket.
At the Kennedy Space Center, you can watch a variety of movies on the space program at the IMAX theater. My favorite was the opportunity to listen to a briefing about what is happening at NASA and the chance to meet an astronaut at the Universe Theater. We did learn that there is an effort to return to the moon in 2024 and we even saw a mockup of the space craft that will take astronauts there.
I still remember watching Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. (See blog below.). The summer of 1969 Is one I will never forget for both the walk on the moon and for the Woodstock music festival that was less than two miles from my home in the Catskills.
Space has had a place in the fabric of my family. Visiting the Kennedy Space Center and learning about the past, present and future of the space program is a way to celebrate innovation and science.
I visited the gift shop to purchase a t-shirt commemorating the 50th anniversary. I had to get a Snoopy shirt. For me, the Apollo missions to the moon will forever be attached to Charles Shultz and his cartoon character, Snoopy. In fact, the Apollo 10 lunar module was called Snoopy, while the command one was called Charlie Brown.
Earlier this year I watched as Israel sent its first spacecraft to the moon with the help of Space IL and the Israel Aerospace Industries. The Beresheet spacecraft crashed in its final moments, just before landing. Think of the capabilities of technology today compared to 1969! And even today it is nearly impossible to have a perfect landing. This indicates so spectacularly how remarkable were the United States early trips to the moon. I look forward to the 55th anniversary and the next attempt by the USA to have a man and a woman once again walk on the moon.
https://zicharonot.com/2019/03/07/our-daughter-not-an-astronaut/
https://zicharonot.com/2014/06/29/spaceastronomy-and-the-first-walk-on-the-moon/
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-and-peanuts-celebrate-apollo-10-s-50th-anniversary
https://www.space.com/israeli-beresheet-moon-landing-attempt-fails.html
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