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11 Reasons to Celebrate Apollo 11 at Space Center Houston

Kat — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:05:20 +0000

In July 1969, millions of people across the globe watched in awe as Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed their Lunar Module on the Moon’s Sea of Tranquility. Stepping onto the lunar surface, Armstrong gave perhaps one of history’s most famous quotes; “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” The Apollo Program, with its 6 successful lunar landings, is often cited as the greatest technological achievement in human history. Visitors are invited to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the Lunar Landing and all of NASA’s Apollo era missions up close and personal at Space Center Houston. Explore and discover unique artifacts like no place on Earth. Really.

1.) Presidential Podium–“We Choose to Go to the Moon”

In a famous speech at Rice University on Sept. 12 1962, behind this very podium, President John. F Kennedy boldly stated his challenge to put a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. The mission was a success with Apollo 11, and this unique piece of history can be viewed on permanent display featured as part of Space Center Houston’s “On Human Destiny” film presentation.

2.) Historic Mission Control– “Houston, the Eagle Has Landed”

Space Center Houston’s world famous tram tour travels behind the scenes of the Johnson Space Center where guests can view historic Mission Control. The support provided by the Apollo Mission Control Center to the first manned landing on the surface of the moon was critical to the success of the mission. It exercised full mission control of the flight of Apollo 11 from the time of liftoff from Launch Complex 39 at the Kennedy Space Center to the time of splashdown in the Pacific. The technical management of all areas of vehicle systems of Apollo 11 including flight dynamics, life systems, flight crew activities, recovery support, and ground operations were handled here.

3.) SATURN V ROCKET–THE MOST POWERFUL ROCKET EVER BUILT..EVER

The massive Saturn V Rocket is deemed the most powerful rocket ever built and operated. Its design played a major role in successfully transporting and landing American astronauts on the Moon during Apollo missions. One of only 3 left in existence, the newly refurbished Rocket is now on display inside the Saturn V buiding complex at Space Center Houston.

4.) Moon Rock Vault- “Sample the Moon”

The world’s largest display of Moon rocks are housed in the Lunar Vault where guests can touch a 3.8 billion-year-old piece of the Moon brought back to the Earth by Apollo era astronauts. This massive collection of Moon samples have never been exposed to the Earth’s atmosphere since being collected from the lunar surface, and are kept in a total Nitrogen gas environment.

5.) Astronaut Suit Gallery-“The Moon Suits You”

The Astronaut Gallery showcases space suits from every era of NASA’s manned space exploration programs including: Pete Conrad’s Moon suit, still stained with lunar dust. Guests can inspect 14 different personal space suits as they tour the Gallery. The walls of Astronaut Gallery are lined with official portraits and crew photos of every U.S. astronaut who has flown in space.

6.) Lunar Landscape –“View from the Moon”

The spectacular 3-D lunar diorama in Space Center Houston’s Starship Gallery represents the Apollo 17 lunar landing. It was created without stars because from the surface of the moon, stars are not visible. The suit on the right with red stripes represents the commander – Eugene (Gene) Cernan. Commander Cernan is the last man to have left his footprints on the surface of the Moon. (So far!)

7.) Lunar Rover Trainer- “The First Moon Wheels”

The Lunar Rover Trainer on display is the actual vehicle used to prepare astronauts for the Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions to travel on the lunar terrain. The rovers used during the Apollo era had a top speed of about 8 mph (13 km/h).

8.) Lunar Module Cockpit Trainer-“Take the Controls”

This mockup of the Apollo Lunar Module cockpit was used by NASA’s Johnson Space Center to prepare astronauts, engineers, flight controllers and technicians for the lunar landings.

9.) Apollo 17 Command Module-“The Last Manned Spacecraft to Fly to the Moon”

This Command Module dubbed “America” was piloted by the final crew to voyage to the Moon. Astronauts Gene Cernan, Ronald Evans and Jack Schmitt all traveled to the Moon and returned to Earth in this very small capsule along with 110.52 kg (243.65 lb) of Moon rocks. The authentic artifact is the actual last manned spacecraft to fly the Moon and is on permanent display at Space Center Houston.

10.) Flight Director Vest “The Vest is Best”—For Gene Kranz”

As Mission Control flight director for the Gemini and Apollo programs, Eugene Kranz was in command during some of NASA’s greatest achievements. He was particularly famous for wearing a different vest for good luck during each mission. Kranz wore the patriotic vest on display during the Apollo 17 mission. Where did he get the special garments? Each and every vest was handmade with love by Mrs. Kranz.

11.) Lunar Soil-“Energy of the Future?”

Between 1969 and 1972, six Apollo spaceflight missions brought back 842 pounds and 22,000 separate samples of lunar rocks, core samples, pebbles, sand and dust from the lunar surface. The samples continue to be studied by scientists around the world. The work has provided invaluable knowledge as NASA prepares to return to the moon, and beyond!

www.spacecenter.org

A Special Thank You

Jack — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:33:49 +0000

We have been offered quite a few artifacts over the past years. From spare parts for a Saturn V Moon rocket to a cigar butt smoked by a former flight director, it is always interesting to see what shows up at our front door. While each item carries with it an interesting piece of history, it doesn’t always meet the criteria for our permanent collection. However, there are those rare and amazing pieces you just can’t pass up.

Moments after the explosion on Apollo 13, any hope of landing on the Moon was abandoned. Despite the disaster, history would ultimately label Apollo 13 as NASA’s most “successful failure”. Space Center Houston is now honored to host a rare artifact from one of NASA’s finest hours. An artifact that would today be forgotten on the surface on the Moon if things had gone as planned.

(above:)This checklist would have been the guidebook for the Apollo 13 crew while on the Lunar surface.

On a perfect mission, Jim Lovell would have picked up this artifact shortly after landing. It is a collection of pages held together with three metal rings. Although it is marked as the “final copy,” various pages are marked in longhand with last minute notes and reminders. The Apollo 13 Lunar Surface Checklist would have served as the crews guide during the exploration of the lunar surface. Although it conjures up memories of a nearly disastrous mission, it also gives some unique insight to the mission planning and how an alternate reality might have played out.

One of the greatest joys of working with artifacts is meeting the people with whom they are associated.

Scott Millican is the author of the Lunar Surface Checklist and the donor of this rare piece of history. He worked in the crew procedures division during Projects Gemini, Apollo, Apollo/Soyuz, and Skylab –America’s first space station. He was working in mission control on the day that an electrical arc sparked an oxygen tank explosion thus crippling Apollo 13. As problems were resolved, it became evident that Scott’s intimate knowledge of the lunar lander Aquarius played a vital role of the timely assembly of a carbon dioxide filter to purify the air in the spacecraft.

After the crew’s safe return, the crew arranged a special thank you for his important role in returning them safely. On the cover of the checklist the crew inscribed this message:

“To Scott-

This document flew to the Moon on Aquarius 11 – 17 April 1970. Thanks from the Apollo 13 crew.

James Love Jack Swigert Fred Haise”

The Crew of Apollo 13

When displaying artifacts, you’re always limited with how much history you can reveal about the object. Sometimes, in the interest of preservation, interesting features of an object (or even the object itself) will never be displayed. In this case, the checklist has been displayed face down to preserve the crew’s inscription on the cover. Over time UV rays can cause ink to fade away and certain papers to become yellow and brittle. However, working closely with our fabricators, security team, and exhibits department, we’ve arranged to feature unique elements of this amazing document.

Space Center Houston would like to express our thanks to Mr. Millican for his service to NASA and his generous donation to Space Center Houston.

The Apollo 13 checklist can be viewed in the Starship Gallery at Space Center Houston.

Star Wars:Clone Wars Exhibit Shatters Attendance Records!

Kat — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:11:23 +0000

May the Force be with You! Star Wars:The Clone Wars, the newest exhibit at Space Center Houston, opened with a huge bang over the 4th of July weekend! Big thanks goes out to our friends at LucasFilm Ltd., and the SCH staff for all the hard work round the clock to make this Star Wars dream a reality! Remember, Space Center Houston has the largest collection of Star Wars: Clone Wars and Star Wars artifacts and memorabilia in the world! Have you ever seen an infamous Star Wars lightsaber, a full-sized Starfighter, or wished you could go behind-the-scenes of the next Star Wars saga, before it comes out in theaters? The once-in-a-lifetime chance is now, and its only at Space Center Houston with Star Wars:The Clone Wars! Now Open all summer long!(P.S. Save Big on admission at Spacecenter.org!)

(below: SCH guests experiencing Star Wars:Clone Wars and Genuine Obi-Wan Kenobi Starfighter on display)