I grew up glued to the radio in the late 60s listening to accounts of NASA space launches and of course the Apollo program. Timing is everything. My dad was the Army Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of a DoD recreational resort in Pattaya Beach Thailand in 1969. After Apollo 11's successful moon landing, Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins conducted a world-wide tour to celebrate the first successful landing on the moon. They stopped by Pattaya Beach and my Dad escorted them for the day with snorkeling trips to near-by islands and of course a huge buffet dinner. I still have the photos of the Astronauts in this casual island setting. Pretty special experience.
It is amazing looking back on our space program from that era just how proud and excited we were as a Nation to be as successful as we were. Comparing technology of that time period and where we are now, it seems impossible that we could have done what we did. Space is the uncharted oceans of our generation. Exploring them requires the same courage and commitment of sailors of centuries past who went forth not knowing what they might find or if they would even return.
I grew up glued to the radio in the late 60s listening to accounts of NASA space launches and of course the Apollo program. Timing is everything. My dad was the Army Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of a DoD recreational resort in Pattaya Beach Thailand in 1969. After Apollo 11's successful moon landing, Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins conducted a world-wide tour to celebrate the first successful landing on the moon. They stopped by Pattaya Beach and my Dad escorted them for the day with snorkeling trips to near-by islands and of course a huge buffet dinner. I still have the photos of the Astronauts in this casual island setting. Pretty special experience.
It is amazing looking back on our space program from that era just how proud and excited we were as a Nation to be as successful as we were. Comparing technology of that time period and where we are now, it seems impossible that we could have done what we did. Space is the uncharted oceans of our generation. Exploring them requires the same courage and commitment of sailors of centuries past who went forth not knowing what they might find or if they would even return.