The Eagle has Landed

“I think we are going to the moon because it’s in the nature of the human being to face challenges. It’s by the nature of his deep inner soul. We’re required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream” (Neil Armstrong, p. 206).

The Book

Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight by Jay Barbree is a unique take on the biography of the first man on the moon. Barbree focuses on Armstrong’s time as a test pilot and astronaut, times which have come to define Armstrong. The biography does touch a bit on Armstrong’s family, but the focus is on Armstrong’s life of flight.

The biography begins as Armstrong is flying with the Pacific Fleet during the Korean War and continues through his time as a research test pilot and astronaut. Many readers will be familiar with Armstrong’s time in NASA. Yet, Barbree writes in a way that the information is new and exciting. The history of NASA is intertwined with Armstrong’s contribution and new details are revealed. The best chapters of the book are those that focus on the preparation, take-off, mission, and return of Apollo 11. The reader actually feels like she is experiencing the moon landing with Armstrong. The reader also comes to appreciate all that went into the NASA space program: the research, training and science. Some of the facts are mind-blowing. The book closes with Armstrong’s strong disappointment with the end of the space shuttle program and downsize of NASA.

Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight is a well-written and easily accessible book. Barbree writes in an engaging way and makes sure to explain concepts unfamiliar to most readers. The book could easily fall into a scientific biography, but Barbree keeps it simple. The interviews add a personal touch that helps the reader understand who Armstrong was. Even though he was the first man on the moon, Armstrong was humble and the reader walks away admiring that trait. 

Barbree was the NBC News Space Correspondent and close friends with Armstrong. His biography has an authenticity that others might not, due to his access to conversations, interviews, reporter’s notes, and transcripts. Armstrong didn’t consider himself special and was a private person. This is an apt biography because it mainly focuses on Armstrong’s public life.

The Place

The Armstrong Air and Space Museum is a unique place to visit. It is located in the hometown of Neil Armstrong and was first proposed by the governor of Ohio shortly after Armstrong landed on the moon. Although named for Armstrong, the museum honors Ohio’s contribution to space exploration (astronauts and training locations). Once at the museum, visitors will notice the unique design: a futuristic moon base.

The museum is not large and is mostly on one floor. As you walk through the museum, you see Armstrong’s life and the Space Race unfold through each exhibit. Artifacts include the Gemini 8 capsule Armstrong flew in space and his Apollo spacesuit. Visitors of all ages will enjoy the simulators and interactive exhibits. There is an entry fee, but it is worth the chance to walk through history. 

Escape to Space

“…the Kennedy Space Center was the place where the public came to experience history being made. Kennedy Space Center, the most industrial part of the space program, represented the romance of space to citizens” (179).

The Book

A History of the Kennedy Space Center, by Kenneth Lipartito and Orville R. Butler, is not just a book about the development of NASA’s launch site in Florida. It is also a history of the entire space program, particularly manned flight. The authors provide a behind the scenes look at the work in the space program, the workers, the interest in space, and the future of the Kennedy Space Center. The book is packed with information that goes into scientific and personnel detail.

Lipartito and Butler say, “The Apollo program was more audacious than the Panama Canal, more difficult than the Hoover Dam, and more expensive than the Manhattan Project” (113). As a student of American history, I had already known that the Apollo program was a ground-breaking and difficult program. However, after reading this book, I have a newfound respect for the process of putting a man on the moon. The book spends a great deal of time on the Apollo missions, but the authors’ also discuss the early rocket programs and the later shuttle programs.

In the 1950s, Cape Canaveral was used to launch and test rockets and missiles. In 1961, NASA chose the Cape as the permanent launch site and in 1965 a visitor center was authorized. The visitor center began as a few trailers housing scientific exhibits. The opening of Walt Disney World revealed a need to update the exhibits to entice visitors to Walt Disney World. In fact, many travel agencies recommended visiting both.

The Place

The Kennedy Space Center does a fantastic job of engaging all ages in learning about NASA and each launch program. A visitor is able to learn about the early flights (Mercury and Gemini) and get the latest news on planned launches. In addition to the Visitor Complex, you are able to drive out to view the launch areas, control center, and Vehicle Assembly Building (where the rockets are assembled prior to launch).

The two highlights from when I visited where the Rocket Garden and the Apollo/Saturn 5 Center. The Rocket Garden is home to rockets from the early programs and capsules you are able to climb aboard. The Apollo/Saturn 5 Center is a large rectangular building that is home to artifacts that were used in the Apollo missions. The Saturn 5 rocket hangs from the ceiling and you can’t help but walk the length of it in awe.