I just finished watching this well done 3-part series on PBS about our space program's early days, with the goal being making it to the moon. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and if you are a space geek and have 6 hours to spare, I whole-heartedly recommend it.
American Experience - Chasing the Moon

 

Loved the series. It brought home special memories of the event.

 

Thanks for the link, Gene. Hope its still available when I get home to MS.

 

This article about the space suits in our local newspaper may be of interest to some. I personally know 3 of the individuals mentioned in the article, and worked with two after they left ILC. In fact, Mr. Napolitano is in our retiree lunch group and I see him every month. He has one of the rare autographs given by Neil Armstrong, which was not mentioned in the article.

 

I taped the series and just finished watching the first one. Great. It may me dig out this photo.

Alan Shepard’s space capsule named Freedom 7. I took this photo June 3, 1961 at the Paris Air Show. Only one month earlier, May 5, Shepard became the first American to travel into space in this capsule. Although it was not capable of achieving orbit, he was the first space traveler to manually control the orientation of his craft.

 

Wow, Dave. You DO get around. Shepherd was also the first man, but probably not the last, to urinate in his space suite. He was in the capsule for a long time during many launch holds. And when you gotta go... He was also the only man to hit a golf ball on the moon. I suspect he had quite a sense of humor.

 

Mike, I know you are just a kid compared to this old fart but hang in there, some day I am going make it to NO and we are going to enjoy (sorry I forgot what I was saying)....

 

Just finished the 4th hour and 2 hours to go. One of the best documentaries ever.

 

^^^ Agreed. I got chills. Best documentary I've seen in a very long time. Best American Experience ever, maybe.

 

I can't wait to ask my son if he now believes it really happened! He would always tell me it was made in a movie set. I know he watched the series. I agree best American Experience ever!