HOUSTON — And now, it’s time once again for NewsFix in Space!
Our latest adventure takes us to the moon, where 48 years ago, America’s space agency did something spectacular!
“On July 20, 1969, we made history,” Apollo Flight Director Gene Kranz said. “A group of young people came together to land the first man on the moon and bring him safely home.”
“It’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” American astronaut Neal Armstrong announced from the moon as he set foot on another planet.
“I believe that this was the greatest engineering feat of the 20th Century,” Kranz said.
During that fateful day, half a billion people watched the lunar landing on television from more than 200,000 miles away back on Earth. And a whole lot closer to home, officials at Space Center Houston just launched a kick-starter program to raise money for NASA’s Mission Control.
Way to go, NASA!
“We want to raise $5 million to help restore and preserve historic Mission Control,” Space Center Houston Exhibits Director Paul Spana explained.
Officials said because Houston is Space City, pitching in for this cause is really a service to the community.
“It is a national landmark, protected over there at NASA, but it’s time that we bring it back to its former glory,” Spana said.
Looking at the historic Mission Control today, one can see how time has taken its toll on the once state-of-the-art monitors and consoles.
“Less than 10 years, we landed on the moon. and that’s where it happened, that’s where it was controlled,” Spana pointed out. “So, we want that to live on forever.”
Officials hope to raise enough funds for the restoration before NASA celebrates the 50th anniversary of the moon landing in 2019.
“Hundreds of years from now, we want it to be there in pristine condition, enjoyed by the people of the future,” Spana said.
Until next time, keep watching the skies — and keep watching NewsFix in Space!
