Lunar Echoes on STS-130

Mementos from canceled NASA moon plan flying on space shuttle, Collectspace

"Together with a piece of Everest's summit, also retrieved by Parazynski, the plaque-mounted moon rocks will be displayed inside Tranquility's new seven-windowed Cupola to inspire the astronauts working there. "Imagine being in the Cupola and looking out this huge series of windows and looking at the Moon and having a piece of the Moon right next to you. What's that going to be like? I have no idea. I'll come back and tell you," said STS-130 mission specialist Stephen Robinson. Robinson had a role in including aboard the flight another, albeit subtle, nod to NASA's lunar exploration history in the form of his and his crewmates' mission patch. The six-sided emblem, which was shaped to resemble the Cupola viewing port attached to Tranquility's side, depicts the Earth as it was first seen in a photograph taken from the Moon by Lunar Orbiter I."

Keith's note: Not only is STS-130 carrying the Moon rock that I carried to Nepal and slept with for a month and Scott then carried to the summit of Mt. Everest, but I just learned that the STS-130 patch was inspired by the "earthrise" photo that Dennis Wingo and our team at the Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project released in Nov. 2008. It usually takes quite a lot to leave me speechless - this comes very close to doing so. How do we expand on such resonant opportunities so as to allow not just a few - but rather millions of people to have a similar, personal connection to what we do in space?


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"How do we expand on such resonant opportunities so as to allow not just a few - but rather millions of people to have a similar, personal connection to what we do in space?"


Hint....

Apollo resonated and does to this day.
Actions inspire.

Leadership that stresses the importance of such things.

Cancelling such things does not.


I don't know about you but I haven't seen too many "ordinary citizens" inspired by Constellation. Not many at all.

My experience with ordinary citizens is they support NASA, they have this perception they are busy on... something, that it's a source of pride for America and their doing "science". They don't know specifics at all. And most "ordinary" citizens I encounter are SHOCKED to learn shuttle is ending, "Why???" followed by "Don't they have something new?" and are coming to me(Because they know I love this stuff)with this question.... what do you think about what Obama did?!

There you go. The ordinary citizen is waking up to the gap because until now, they never knew shuttle was going to end. And they wonder what next?

Well under Obama... nothing much at all.

Moon as a destination and at least eyes on Mars sexed up going back to those "you mean capsules like the sixties again?"

Don't dismiss the ordinary citizen so easy.
Shuttle retirement is going to impact this nations perceptions of NASA believe me. The response to it is well "what's next" Oh Obama cancelled that? Wow.

Every spacegeek tends to get pinged on by people around them at times. I know I do. And I make DAMN sure they end up knowing what's going on.

I agree, also people didn't know that Constellation existed. They won't get excited about it if they don't know about it and knowing about it is a function of general excitement of space and NASA - not Constellation's fault.

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This page contains a single entry by Keith Cowing published on February 4, 2010 12:35 PM.

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