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 Editor’s Note: Brent Glass is Director Emeritus of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and the author of 50 Great American Places: Essential Historic Sites Across the U.S.  

Throughout history, we have celebrated the few among us who have dared to go where others have not. Their names remain familiar long after their explorations: Erikson, Magellan, and Cook. Amundsen, Scott, and Shackleton. Peary and Henson. Livingstone. Columbus. Marco Polo. But the twelve men who stepped onto the moon ventured farther from home and faced a greater range of dangers than all of their predecessors.

perseverance landing
In February 2021, Perseverance will become the latest NASA rover to touch down on Mars. NASA

 

Entrance to NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia, United States.
Era: 1910-1919DateCreated: 1917Langley Research CenterHamptonState: VACountry: USAWebsite: https://www.aiaa.org/SecondaryTwoColumn.aspx?id=15032386787Creator: NASA

The Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, now the core of the Langley Research Center, was a unique facility that served as the nexus of aerodynamic research in the U.S. from its beginning in 1917 to its transformation into NASA’s Langley Research Center in 1958. It achieved world renown for its variety of specialized research tools and its staff’s emphasis on practical solutions to the problems of flight.

 

YearAdded:
2001
Image Caption: Entrance to NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia, United States.
Saturn V Rocket
Society: ASMEMain Category: Aerospace & AviationSub Category: Air and Space TransportationEra: 1960-1969DateCreated: 1967John F. Kennedy Space CenterOrlandoState: FLZip: 32899Country: USAWebsite: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-a-l/air-and-space-transportation/-54-saturn-v-rocket-%281967%29, https://www.asme.org/getmedia/fb4f1d1d-a005-46d5-b237-19f15b8e6549/52-Saturn-V-Rocket.aspxCreator: NASA

The largest rocket built at the time of the historic first missions to the moon, the Saturn V carried aloft the 45-ton Apollo spacecraft on earth orbital and lunar missions from 1967 to 1972. It also launched the 120-ton Skylab into earth orbit on May 14, 1973. 

YearAdded:
1980
Image Credit: Public Domain (NASA)Image Caption: The largest rocket engines built at the time of the first US missions to the moon.Era_date_from: 1967
Voyager Spacecraft Interplanetary Explorers
Society: ASMEMain Category: MechanicalSub Category: Air and Space TransportationEra: 1970-1979DateCreated: 1972Pioneer RdFlintridgeState: CAZip: 91011Country: USAWebsite: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-a-l/air-and-space-transportation/-171-voyager-spacecraft-interplanetary-explorers-%28Creator: NASA

The Voyager explorers, which provided scientists and the world with the first detailed pictures of faraway planets, were designed and tested during 1972 to 1977. The two most intelligent machines ever built in the NASA space program, the explorers were launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., in 1977. Voyager 2 was launched first on August 20, followed by Voyager 1 on September 5.

YearAdded:
1993
Image Credit: Courtesy ASMEImage Caption: Voyager Spacecraft Interplanetary ExplorersEra_date_from: 1972
Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station
Society: AIAAMain Category: Aerospace & AviationSub Category: AerospaceEra: 1960-1969DateCreated: 1967Apollo RoadACTState: ACTZip: 2620Country: AustraliaWebsite: http://intranet.aiaa.org/industryresources/PDF/AustraliaHistoricSitesPR.pdf, https://www.honeysucklecreek.net/images/AIAA/AIAA_Booklet_HSK-ORR-TID.pdfCreator: NASA

Established between 1967, the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station, along with the Tidbinbilla and Orroral Valley sites, supported NASA’s Deep Space Network, Manned Space Flight Network, and Spacecraft Tracking and Data Acquisition Network. The stations played a key role in supporting the Apollo 11 moon landing, with the Honeysuckle Creek facility providing the first historic pictures of man walking on the moon on July 20, 1969 (July 21st in Australia), as well as providing voice and telemetry contact with the lunar module.

YearAdded:
2010
Image Credit: Courtesy Flickr/wxwhyz (CC BY 2.0)Image Caption: Honeysuckle Creek Tracking StationEra_date_from: 1967
Orroral Valley Tracking Station
Society: AIAAMain Category: Aerospace & AviationSub Category: AerospaceEra: 1960-1969DateCreated: 1965LOT 8 Orroral RdTennent CreeState: ACTZip: 2620Country: AustraliaWebsite: https://www.aiaa.org/HistoricAerospaceSites/, https://www.honeysucklecreek.net/images/AIAA/AIAA_Booklet_HSK-ORR-TID.pdfCreator: NASA

Established 1965 the Orroral Valley Station, as well as the Honeysuckle Creek (1967) and Tidbinbilla (1965) sites supported NASA’s Deep Space Network, Manned Space Flight Network, and Spacecraft Tracking and Data Acquisition Network. The stations played a key role in supporting the Apollo 11 moon landing, with the Honeysuckle Creek facility providing the first historic pictures of man walking on the moon on July 20, 1969 (July 21st in Australia), as well as providing voice and telemetry contact with the lunar module.

YearAdded:
2010
Image Credit: Courtesy Flickr/Percita (CC BY-SA 2.0)Image Caption: Orroral Valley Tracking StationEra_date_from: 1965
Tidbinbilla Tracking Station
Society: AIAAMain Category: Aerospace & AviationSub Category: AerospaceEra: 1960-1969DateCreated: 1965Tidbinbilla Nature ReservePaddys RiverState: ACTZip: 2620Country: AustraliaWebsite: https://www.aiaa.org/HistoricAerospaceSites/Creator: Menzies, Robert, NASA

Established 1965 the Tidbinbilla Tracking Station, as well as the Honeysuckle Creek (1967-1981) and Orroral Valley (1965-1985) sites, supported NASA’s Deep Space Network, Manned Space Flight Network, and Spacecraft Tracking and Data Acquisition Network. The stations played a key role in supporting the Apollo 11 moon landing, with the Honeysuckle Creek facility providing the first historic pictures of man walking on the moon on July 20, 1969 (July 21st in Australia), as well as providing voice and telemetry contact with the lunar module.

YearAdded:
2010
Image Credit: Original Image: Public Domain (NASA)Image Caption: Tidbinbilla Tracking StationEra_date_from: 1965
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| Volume 27, Issue 2
 Editor’s Note: Brent Glass is Director Emeritus of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and the author of 50 Great American Places: Essential Historic Sites Across the U.S.   Exhibits at NASA's Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville include the world’s only full-scale display of…
| Volume 27, Issue 2
Throughout history, we have celebrated the few among us who have dared to go where others have not. Their names remain familiar long after their explorations: Erikson, Magellan, and Cook. Amundsen, Scott, and Shackleton. Peary and Henson. Livingstone. Columbus. Marco Polo. But the twelve men who…
Summer 2021 | Volume 27, Issue 1
In February 2021, Perseverance will become the latest NASA rover to touch down on Mars. NASA  When Mariner 4 beamed back the first fly-by images of Mars in 1964, NASA scientists — and the world at large — were both fascinated and dismayed by what they saw. For centuries, astronomers and space…

Innovations

Tidbinbilla Tracking Station

Established 1965 the Tidbinbilla Tracking Station, as well as the Honeysuckle Creek (1967-1981) and Orroral Valley (1965-1985) sites, supported NASA’s Deep Space Network, Manned Space Flight Network, and Spacecraft Tracking and Data Acquisition Network. The stations played a key role in…

Read More
Orroral Valley Tracking Station

Established 1965 the Orroral Valley Station, as well as the Honeysuckle Creek (1967) and Tidbinbilla (1965) sites supported NASA’s Deep Space Network, Manned Space Flight Network, and Spacecraft Tracking and Data Acquisition Network. The stations played a key role in supporting the Apollo 11…

Read More
Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station

Established between 1967, the Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station, along with the Tidbinbilla and Orroral Valley sites, supported NASA’s Deep Space Network, Manned Space Flight Network, and Spacecraft Tracking and Data Acquisition Network. The stations played a key role in supporting the Apollo…

Read More
Voyager Spacecraft Interplanetary Explorers

The Voyager explorers, which provided scientists and the world with the first detailed pictures of faraway planets, were designed and tested during 1972 to 1977. The two most intelligent machines ever built in the NASA space program, the explorers were launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., in 1977…

Read More
Saturn V Rocket

The largest rocket built at the time of the historic first missions to the moon, the Saturn V carried aloft the 45-ton Apollo spacecraft on earth orbital and lunar missions from 1967 to 1972. It also launched the 120-ton Skylab into earth orbit on May 14, 1973. 

Design and…

Read More
Entrance to NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia, United States.

The Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, now the core of the Langley Research Center, was a unique facility that served as the nexus of aerodynamic research in the U.S. from its beginning in 1917 to its transformation into NASA’s Langley Research Center in 1958. It achieved…

Read More

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