In 1983, The Right Stuff movie premiered claiming to tell the story of test pilots and those who became America’s first astronauts. The film received acclaim from the majority of the critics who wrote reviews. But, as an accurate chronicle of efforts to pave the road to space, it failed. Astronaut Wally Schirra summed it up best: “The movie was fun. It was well-produced and the acting is great. But as history, it‘s merely ‘Animal House’ in space.’”
When NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover launched it marked the continuation of exploration of one of Earth’s nearest celestial neighbors that began 56 years ago. During that time, a fleet of robotic spacecraft and rovers have landed on and orbited the Red Planet. Collectively, they have dramatically increased the knowledge base about Mars, helping pave the way for future human pioneers.
Over the past three decades America’s Space Shuttle has established a legacy of rewriting the history of space flight. During that time, astronauts shuttled to and from low Earth orbit showing again and again the value of the human element in this challenging endeavor.
On the evening of Jan. 31, 1958, the United States orbited its first satellite — Explorer 1. The effort was part of the nation’s participation in the International Geophysical Year (IGY), a peaceful scientific endeavor. It also marked America’s first step in the Space Race of the Cold War.
A small group of NASA engineers had an idea called, “Lunar Orbit Rendezvous.” A 1961 letter to NASA’s associate administrator proposed separate vehicles, one to land on the lunar surface while another circled the Moon.
Near the end of 1967, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center experienced the roar of a rocket from Launch Complex 39 for the first time. The 363-foot-tall blasted off, shaking the ground and surrounding buildings.