A Near Miss: When Three Apollo Astronauts Were Nearly Killed on Reentry
The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project On July 24, 1975, six years to the day after the Apollo 11 crew returned safely to Earth, reaching the zenith of America’s space race program, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project crew returned to Earth. It was to be the last hurrah of the Apollo era....
The Greatest Spacecraft Never Built? The Space Tug
Nixon Wakes Up NASA in the Middle of a Dream How often is it that we talk about the “golden era” of something? Generally, that tends to infer that the best of something is behind us. It doesn’t mean that great things won’t, or can’t be accomplished in...
The Air Force and Nasa: Partnership in Space (1958-1969)
It was the middle of March when President Donald Trump mentioned the prospect of creating a new branch of the military, a “Space Force.” It was immediately the subject of ridicule and conjured up visions of Star Wars Stormtroopers with laser guns fighting galactic battles in space. Once again,...
The Lunar Modules That Were Built But Never Flown
In November of 1962, the Grumman company headquartered in Bethpage, New York won the contract to build the Lunar Module that first carried American astronauts to the Moon. Grumman, a well known defense contractor famous for navy fighter aircraft wanted to be a part of the coming race to space, but they...
The Politics of NASA – What History Has Taught Us
Every political season brings the same old ideas about what government should do and how it should operate. This election brings a decision between operating government like a business and the discipline it requires, or operating it as an entity that transcends the typical rules of budgeting, balancing, and...
The Saga of the X-38
It was a chance trip to the Midwest on a cold winter day in December that took me within striking distance of the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, Nebraska. The museum had been on my list to visit if the opportunity ever afforded itself for me to...
The Way of the Pyramids
Standing on the Giza Plateau outside of Cairo, Egypt stands a modern marvel for its time, the Great Pyramid. For 3800 years it stood alone as the tallest man-made structures on the planet. The Egyptians don’t build pyramids anymore and haven’t for over 4500 years. At night they shine...
Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
Prior to the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project there were several attempts by the United States to engage the Soviets in a joint space effort. President John F. Kennedy was the first to propose a combining of U.S and Soviet resources. Kennedy’s core focus was defusing tensions between the U.S. and...
Apollo at Forty
Forty years ago humans embarked on a dangerous journey from which their safety and return could not be guaranteed. Not since humans first journeyed far from the savanna’s of Africa or set sail across vast oceans has any trip been so defining of the spirit that lives in all...
The Presidents and NASA
With the nominations of former astronaut and retired Marine Corps Major General Charles Bolden and former NASA associate administrator Lori Garver as the next number one and two to lead NASA President Barack Obama has taken the first step in building a space legacy for his administration. To date,...