Tag Archives: 1960s
Nuclear Power Systems for Spacecraft: The Transit Navigational Satellite Connection
Flying in space requires reliable, uninterrupted, stable electrical power, not only for engines to maneuver and navigate but for systems on spacecraft performing a range of functions. During the first two decades of the space age in the 1950s and … Continue reading
How Do Space Activities Contribute to Our Daily Lives?
I was recently asked this question, how do space activities contribute to our daily lives? I must confess that I have been asked it many times previously. Virtually every time this question is asked, however, it is because the person … Continue reading
Wednesday’s Book Review: “The Race: The Complete True Story of How America Beat Russia to the Moon”
The Race: The Complete True Story of How America Beat Russia to the Moon. By James Schefter. Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Co., 1999. Anchor Reprint, 2000. It is becoming increasingly obvious with every passing year that the Apollo program … Continue reading
The Greatest Cardinal of Them All: Remembering Stan Musial (1920-2013)
If you are connected to anything at all you have heard that we lost a legend over the weekend, Stan “The Man” Musial. Both a great baseball player and true gentleman, a gentle man; he strode across the sports scene … Continue reading
Wednesday’s Book Review: “Last King of the Sports Page: The Life and Career of Jim Murray”
Last King of the Sports Page: The Life and Career of Jim Murray. By Ted Geltner. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2012. As the editor of the “Sports and American Culture” series published by the University of Missouri Press, I … Continue reading
Andy Chaikin on the Recent Neil Armstrong Kurfuffle over his First Words when Walking on the Moon
Andy Chaikin relayed to me his distress in seeing the recent news stories claiming that Neil Armstrong lied to the world about when he made up his famous “One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” quote. As a … Continue reading
A Chronology of Space Anniversaries for 2013
Many people have asked what anniversaries are upcoming in 2013 in space history. Here is a quick list. Are there items that I should add to this accounting? 1923—90 years ago December: Die Rakete zu den Planetenräumen (The Rocket into … Continue reading
44 Years Ago Today: Apollo 8′s Historic Broadcast from the Moon on Christmas Eve in 1968
Hard to believe, it was 44 years ago today that the crew of Apollo 8 made their historic broadcast from the Moon on Christmas Eve in 1968. Launched on December 21, 1968, astronauts Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, Jr., and … Continue reading
The Encyclopedia Show DC: The Moon
On Tuesday night, December 4, 2012, I had the pleasure of participating “The Encyclopedia Show DC” which focused this time on “The Moon.” It was a free form educational variety show that included skits, poetry, music, and me. My task … Continue reading
Roger Launius Interviewed on “The Space Show,” November 30, 2012
On Friday, November 30, 2012, I participated in an interview about the history of spaceflight on “The Space Show,” hosted by Dr. David Livingston. We talked about my new book, Coming Home: Reentry and Recovery from Space, co-written with Dennis … Continue reading
