We enjoyed a trip to Houston for Thanksgiving this year. The weather held out, and we had balmy days of travel with no snow unlike our trip last year. As we got closer to Dallas, we noticed the moon rising. What a great big moon!
Our first full day in Houston, we decided to make a trip to NASA's Rocket Park. I wanted the kids to see where their Poppa had worked for 30 years. 
The year was 1967, and my dad had only been out of college for 3 years when he landed a job at NASA in Houston, Texas. Two years later, in December of 1969, Apollo 11 landed the first man on the moon. History had been made, and I was only 3 years old. It would be many years before I would be old enough to appreciate where my dad spent his days, and that he was a part of that history making. For my sister and I, NASA was the place where we took every relative who came into town, so that they could see moon rocks and that huge rocket in the grass. For us, the moon held no mystery. Rockets and men on the moon were a normal part of life for a young one growing up in Houston in the 1970's.
I will admit, however, that the sheer amount of fuel and power needed to launch a rocket out of earth's orbit and gravitational pull, and into space has always impressed me.
The year was 1967, and my dad had only been out of college for 3 years when he landed a job at NASA in Houston, Texas. Two years later, in December of 1969, Apollo 11 landed the first man on the moon. History had been made, and I was only 3 years old. It would be many years before I would be old enough to appreciate where my dad spent his days, and that he was a part of that history making. For my sister and I, NASA was the place where we took every relative who came into town, so that they could see moon rocks and that huge rocket in the grass. For us, the moon held no mystery. Rockets and men on the moon were a normal part of life for a young one growing up in Houston in the 1970's.
I will admit, however, that the sheer amount of fuel and power needed to launch a rocket out of earth's orbit and gravitational pull, and into space has always impressed me.
And this tiny little triangular-shaped capsule is the only thing left to orbit the moon once it gets there.
Another thing I've always been impressed with are the five huge engines on the bottom of the Saturn V rocket.
In case you can't quite tell from the previous picture just how big each engine is, here are two of my kids and my nephews standing in front of just one of those engines to give you a little perspective.
One thing that I did not realize until this trip to the Johnson Space Center was that people were unexpectedly awed not so much by the moon, but by how beautiful the earth looked from space. I think astronaut Alan Shepard says it well:
The Saturn V is now housed indoors complete with air conditioning to keep it from deteriorating. Interestingly, this Saturn V was built with intentions to launch, but was never used. It is a fascinating sight to behold. I'm so proud of my dad and the history he took part in. I wanted my children to see some of it in the hopes that one day they too will understand what a great contribution to history their Poppa made.
3 comments:
I believe you got all those dates correct. Your Dad worked as a civilian for the US Army at the White Sands Missle Range in New Mexico from August 1964 - May 1967. Of course you were born in Las Cruces in December, 1966 and I couldn't have been happier to be able to move back to Texas in June the next year.
I think kids now days don't understand what an accomplishment that was. Everything is so easy to them now.
Wow! What neat family (and world!) history! We just got done studying space... Neil Armstrong... my kids would LOVE to see those things! That is wonderful history to keep alive for your kids! Thanks for sharing! I just can't imagine looking at earth from space...
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