Johnson Space CenterPam and I just returned from Houston, and the Johnson Space Center. My generation grew up with the space program. I can remember President John F. Kennedy challenging NASA and the American people to go into space, and to place a man on the moon before the end of the decade of the sixties. "We do this not because it is easy", he said, "We do this because it is hard!" I can remember the excitement that came with each launch. We would count down with Mission Control, then wait for a long moment before seeing a flash and smoke: "We have ignition." Slowly, the marvelous machine would begin its ascent. "We have LIFTOFF!" Pam and I visited the center. Our tour guide caught our attention right away. "This is not a theme park", he said. "This is the real thing. This is where NASA scientists and engineers, crews and astronauts train each day. We ask that you keep electronic equipment such as cell phones, turned off, so as not to interfere with ongoing communication with the International Space Station." We went to the site of the original Mission Control, now a museum listed in our National Historic Places. Later, we visited the training complex, where we saw full-size mockups of each component of the International Space Station, the space shuttle, and its robotic arm. These are not exhibits; they are the actual training modules that the crew use to prepare them for their mission in space. We could not see Building 39, because the crews were currently training with the tools and equipment that they will use when they journey to the International Space Station, scheduled for July 13. Finally, we returned to the visitor's center, where we could go inside a full-size mockup of the shuttle Command Module, and view a cutaway of one of the space station living quarter modules. All together, it was a magnificent day! I hope these images transfer, and that you enjoy them. Shalom,
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Welcome!
Mercury
Capsule & Rocket
Mission
Control
Space
Station Modules
Robotic
Arm
Command
Module
Sopwith
Camel