[Sunshine 2118]

I have been extremely fortunate in my life’s encounters with the NASA program from its early days to its latest. Not everyone has been as lucky me, and many have been even more fortunate than I. I am thankful for each and every memory the Space program has given me. My life has been enriched for it. Regardless of your degree of fortune in catching, sharing the activities of NASA and its brave crews over the decades. If you would like to share your memories, say something appropriate; please consider sharing here.


After returning from Japan, Dad was stationed at Patrick AFB; and I remember him holding me up at night to watch the still active rocket night shots from the Cape Canaveral. It was so cool, and I felt so safe in his arms. I remain a night sky watcher, today.

The months after we left Patrick we visited Disneyland’s Moonshot ride. It was a terror for me, screaming the whole time I did not want to go to the moon. Decades later, I reattempted the ride, telling myself first this is a Disney ride; you are not really going to the moon. It helped at least I didn’t scream. I really am happy to be on Earth.

I remember crying at the loss of Apollo 1, January 27, 1967 and remember Gus Grissom, Roger Chaffee and Ed Higgins White silently ever since on that date. The same day the USA, USSR, and UK signed the Outer Space Treaty.

During the Apollo shots, it fell to me to call mother at her job and report to her about various news reports. The two missions I remember best reporting to my poor mother stuck at work. Apollo 11 and 13 it is kind of hard not to remember either of them. They didn’t have TiVo, DVD’s, or even video tape at the time to set and leave.

When the Challenger passed on, I was across the state, literally almost standing in the Gulf of Mexico. I happened to look up. Seeing the massive contrail configuration, my heart sank and I hurried home to the horrible news.

Living in Texas, I was simply amazed with the loss of the Columbia and waited for the results of the investigation. For weeks I walked about (despite the unlikelihood due to be too far south) scanning the ground, just in case.

[Deepwater6]

I have not been fortunate enough to have been involved with any NASA projects during my career. I'm sure over the years many safety devices for the home and car came about from the space program although I couldn't tell you specifics.

In my office at work I have pictures up on every wall of different telescope shots. I get alot of enjoyment looking at the Hubble Ultra Deep Field and usually stare at it everyday while eating lunch. Some people must think I'm crazy, but it completely fascinates me. All those galaxies in just one little patch of the sky. The immensity of it is hard for me to comprehend. So to answer your question I would say pictures NASA has showed us over the years enriched my life the most.

I know it will be hard to see in the glare of the parent star, but I can't wait to see the first rocky exo-planet. I think we will find out in time how naive the human race was for thinking we were the only game in town.

[Sunshine 2118]

Deepwater6, on 01 November 2011 - 10:23 AM, said:

I have not been fortunate enough to have been involved with any NASA projects during my career. I'm sure over the years many safety devices for the home and car came about from the space program although I couldn't tell you specifics.

In my office at work I have pictures up on every wall of different telescope shots. I get alot of enjoyment looking at the Hubble Ultra Deep Field and usually stare at it everyday while eating lunch. Some people must think I'm crazy, but it completely fascinates me. All those galaxies in just one little patch of the sky. The immensity of it is hard for me to comprehend. So to answer your question I would say pictures NASA has showed us over the years enriched my life the most.

I know it will be hard to see in the glare of the parent star, but I can't wait to see the first rocky exo-planet. I think we will find out in time how naive the human race was for thinking we were the only game in town.

Benefits from the NASA Space program website:

http://techtran.msfc...ov/at_home.html

From my computer library. Checked still good and active as of 11/1/2011.

I love the Hubble pics myself at times even getting lost in them. So, I wouldn't think you crazy- not at all. I like to believe most people feel the sameway, but politics the way they are dictate a silence in public. Maybe the benefits page might help public approval of NASA? They are substantial believe me.

I hadn't thought of discovering the first rocky exo-planet Deepwater6, but as I consider it the excitment grows! Cool Thanks!

[Scitastic]

NASA has not enriched my career by any means, as I have not had the opportunity to study space as a customer service representative. In my life, mostly my childhood, learning about space and exploration through NASA was wonderful.