Building Ships of Exploration

NASA Internal Memo from Constellation Program Manager Jeff Hanley: 10/6 Cx Weekly Update

“I’ve recently enjoyed a handful of books on key explorers, such as Magellan, Columbus, and Capt Cook, and am struck and fascinated by their courage and commitment to their task despite incredible odds against their success. On Magellan’s voyage alone, of the multiple ships and over 400 crew that departed on the voyage, only a couple dozen scurvy-ridden crew aboard a single vessel returned to tell the tale. Magellan himself fell victim of his own hubris and was killed by inhabitants of one of those far off lands he was credited with ‘discovering’. In their time, exploration was frought with risk and unknown unknowns.”