Tales from the Rocket Ranch

Legendary Countdown Preceded the First Moon Landing Mission

By Bob Granath | February 8, 2024

A countdown first was used as part of a rocket’s launch to the Moon in the 1929 science-fiction movie “Frau im Mond” (Woman in the Moon). Ironically, a countdown led to the voyage of Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins and Buzz Aldrin completing the first mission to actually land humans on the Moon 40 years later. The day Apollo 11 lifted off on its extraordinary flight, July 16, 1969, hundreds of millions on every continent around the world watched and listened on live television to what became the most famous countdown.

Launch Countdown Tradition Began with a Silent Movie

By Bob Granath | January 26, 2024

The familiar count backwards to zero leading to the launch of a rocket did not originate with missiles fired from Cape Canaveral. It began with an Austrian filmmaker recruiting a spaceflight pioneer to recommend ways to add drama and realism to a 1929 science-fiction movie about a fictitious trip to the Moon. German rocket enthusiasts soon began including countdowns to their rocket tests. It later continued in their work in the U.S. leading to the historic first actual lunar flight by humans.

Premier, Multi-User Spaceport Sets Record for Launches During 2023

By Bob Granath | December 26, 2023

During 2023, 72 rockets launched into the skies regularly rumbling windows along Florida’s Space Coast proving, again, that NASA’s Kennedy Space Center with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station have been established as America’s premier multi-user spaceport. The new record shattered the previous number set only last year during which 57 rockets lifted off.

Father and Son Record NASA Triumphs Through Artists’ Eyes

By Bob Granath | July 24, 2023

Each year during mid-July, space historians celebrate one of the most momentous events of the 20th Century. For the first time, humans left Earth to land on the Moon. Many nations around the world have extensively celebrated the mission of Apollo 11 on postage stamps. In the United States, the most iconic commemoratives include works of art by a father and son team – Paul and Chris Calle.

SFA Message: Everyone Plays Role in Flight Safety, Mission Success

By Bob Granath | June 26, 2023

With the beginning of Project Mercury, NASA initiated efforts to stress the new program was more than hardware. Rockets and spacecraft had been launching from Cape Canaveral for the better part of a decade. The new flight safety emphasis focused on missions including people. The purpose was simple, but crucial. Everyone involved in human spaceflight plays a role in flight safety and mission success.

Women Taking Advantage of Diverse Opportunities at NASA

By Bob Granath | March 28, 2023

When retired Kennedy Space Center engineer and NASA astronaut Nicole Stott spoke to spaceport employees in 2015, she encouraged women at the center to take full advantage of expanding opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds. Women now are filling some of the most crucial roles in the agency’s Artemis Program. That effort is designed to establish long-term lunar science and exploration capabilities on the Moon and inspire the next generation of explorers.

Women Supporting Early Space Efforts Traveled a Difficult Road

By Bob Granath | March 21, 2023

When NASA’s Kennedy Space Center became operational in the summer of 1962, very few woman held jobs beyond secretarial or housekeeping positions. Today, they serve in leadership posts, engineering jobs and other key roles alongside their male counterparts. Retired spaceport engineer and NASA astronaut Nicole Stott spoke to employees at the Florida spaceport inspiring women to take full advantages of opportunities now offered.

Harris was More Than ‘Voice of NASA’ for First Shuttle Missions

By Bob Granath | February 17, 2023

Hugh Harris, a former director of Public Affairs at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, died Feb. 14, 2023 at the age of 90. He worked in increasingly responsible roles for the space agency from 1963 until his retirement in 1998. Harris was known as the “Voice of NASA” for early Space Shuttle missions, but his career covered much more.

NASA Engineer Helps Preserve Legacy of Tuskegee Airmen

By Bob Granath | February 9, 2023

A group of underwater explorers works to preserve America’s heritage. According to team member Erik Denson, during a week in the summer of 2015, one memorable effort was a “mission of a lifetime.” A NASA engineer at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center, Denson and a small team of underwater divers help maintain the history of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Florida Braces for Hurricane Ian

By Bob Granath | September 28, 2022

Hurricane Ian is bearing down on Florida’s west coast with its track crossing the state from the Gulf of Mexico making landfall near Fort Myers as a category 4 or 5 storm. It is forecast to move northeast toward the state’s east coast, including Brevard County and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Imagery from NASA-launched GOES satellites and the International Space Station are aiding meteorologists in helping people across the state prepare for the storm’s impact. GOES weather satellites are launched by NASA and operated by NOAA.

Category: Tales from the Rocket Ranch