HAMPTON, Va. – Natural satellite, tidal force, and timepiece — the moon continues to fascinate humans almost 40 years after astronaut Neil Armstrong took “one small step for man.”
On Tuesday, July 7, NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., hosts Roger Launius who will discuss “How We Remember Apollo” at 2 p.m. in the Reid Conference Center. Launius is the senior curator in the Division of Space History at the Smithsonian Institution¹s National Air and Space Museum in Washington and former NASA chief historian.
The 40th Anniversary of the first manned landing on the moon will occur July 20. NASA Langley contributed heavily to Apollo’s success and plays an important role in preparing to return to the moon.
Media who wish to interview Launius at a news briefing at 1:15 p.m. Tuesday should contact Chris Rink at 864-6786 or at christopher.p.rink@nasa.gov by noon for credentials and entry to NASA Langley.
On Tuesday evening, Launius will present the same talk for the general public at 7:30 p.m. at the Virginia Air & Space Center in downtown Hampton. The evening presentation is free and no reservations are required.
Launius will discuss the moon as a target for human exploration and eventual settlement, and the more than 50-year efforts to reach the moon, succeeding with space probes and humans in Project Apollo in the 1960s and early 1970s. Analyzing how Americans have responded to the experience of Apollo, he will talk about efforts to make the moon a second home, including problems and opportunities in the 2004 Vision for Space Exploration.
Frequently consulted by the electronic and print media for his views on space issues, Launius has been a guest commentator on National Public Radio and television network news programs. He has written or edited more than twenty books on aerospace history including the Smithsonian Atlas of Space Exploration. He also served as a consultant to the Columbia Accident Investigation Board in 2003.
