Neil Armstrong 1930-2012

I'm still feeling a bit gut-punched from the passing of Neil Armstrong. It isn't every day you lose one of your childhood heroes. And a true American hero he was too-- not a thrill seeker, not a glory-hound, but a soft-spoken engineer who sought to expand the realm of human knowledge by flinging himself off the face of the Earth at great peril to himself and his companions. He stepped out upon an new world, the first human being to do so, and left his footprint quite indelibly upon its surface. That same footprint was left indelibly upon my four-year old imagination. I looked on his heroic feat (feat not feet) with wonder that grew into a lifelong love of science and space exploration. Here's to you Neil Armstrong, you were the real-deal with the right stuff and mankind will be forever in your debt for the giant leap you took on our behalf. Thank you sir. Rest well.

The Passing of A True American Hero

I'm still in shock. 

The Eagle Has Landed +43

 

Check out the Buzz Aldrin/Crystal Method mash-up I cobbled together from my interview with Dr. Aldrin below. I call it "Buzz Method."  The full audio of that interview appears later in this post.

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I was four years old when Apollo 11 touched down in the Sea of Tranquility and man first impressed his footprint upon the moon. I was captivated. The images of the lunar module on the surface of the moon, of Neil Armstrong taking that historic first step, of Buzz Aldrin saluting the American flag are burned indelibly in my mind. I couldn't get enough moon, NASA or astronauts, clearly a chronic case of Moon Fever that stays with me to this day. While I may never get to press my footprint into the dusty lunar soil, I could, with enough cash, turn my backyard into a replica Tranquility Base. Here's a company that will not only rent you the appropriate spacesuit, but a full sized lunar module and a command capsule. Honey, call the neighbors and chain up the dog, the Eagle has landed!

In September of 2006 I had the great fortune to interview Buzz Aldrin one of my childhood heroes and the second man on the moon. Listen to Dr. Aldrin describe that historic event in his own words.

 Interview with Buzz Aldrin

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Apollo 11 Mission Log: Day 3 Lunar Insertion

43 years ago today: Where were you when Apollo 11 lifted off for the moon? | al.com

My Apollo XI patch right above my monitor. I look at it every day.

  43 years ago today: Where were you when Apollo 11 lifted off for the moon?

I was four years old when Apollo XI lifted off on it's historical journey. Even as a little kid I watched every bit of news coverage I could find. I couldn't get enough. I had been stricken by a bad case of Moon Fever. It was so bad that I wouldn't let my daddy gas up the car anyplace but the local Gulf station because they were giving out fold-up paper models of the lunar module with every fill up. Remember those?

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, we can relive the joy of inserting tab A into slot B. Here is a high resolution copy of that wonderful childhood memory that you can print onto card stock and make yourself.

Gulf Oil Lunar Module Model

Here are some other superb Apollo papercraft models to build-- a perfect way to spend some quality time with the kids on a rainy afternoon.
  
Apollo Papercraft Models To Print