In memory of Neil Armstrong, first man to walk on the Moon (August 5, 1930-August 25, 2012). More photographs of Neil Armstrong from our holdings.
Ticket Price? $74 Million Dollars; Space Nerd Cred? Priceless.
On July 30, 1985 President Ronald Reagan signed National Security Decision Directive Number 181, which allowed for the sale of flight capacity on the Space Shuttles to foreign and commercial users. The minimum acceptable price would be $74 million dollars.
Shuttle Pricing for Foreign and Commercial Users, 07/30/1985
NASA is Created
Act of July 29, 1958 (National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958), Public Law 85-568, 72 STAT 426, which provided for research into the problems of flight within and outside the earth’s atmosphere., 07/29/1958
0658 RECOVERED 2 HELOS. ASTRONAUTS, N.A. ARMSTRONG, LCOL M. COLLINS USAF, AND COL E.E. ALDRIN JR USAF
Deck Log of the USS Hornet, 07/24/1969
Documenting in rather matter-of-fact terms both the arrival of the President of the United States and successful recovery of the Apollo 11 astronauts.
Gemini III Mission Images of California, Arizona, Texas, Mexico, and Bermuda, 03/23/1965
Gemini III - the first manned flight of the Gemini space program was launched on March 23, 1965, crewed by astronauts Virgil “Gus” Grissom and John. W. Young.
John Glenn conducted the first manned space orbit of the earth on February 20, 1962. This is the transcription of his in-flight communication with Mission Control in Florida. During re-entry Glenn was forced to switch to manual control after the autopilot failed. Additionally, there were concerns his heat shield had come loose — leading the recommendation to leave his retropackage in place .
Transcript of John Glenn’s Official Communication with the Command Center , 02/28/1962
Fifty years ago, on February 20, 1962, Astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr., became the first American to orbit the Earth. With the world watching the historic and live-televised event, Glenn orbited the Earth three times in his space capsule, Friendship 7. Four hours and 55 minutes after ignition, John Glenn and Friendship 7 returned to Earth and splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.
We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary with a special video display of “Friendship 7,” a film produced in 1962 by NASA that is now part of our holdings. And if you can’t make to Washington, DC, you can watch this special 5-minute version.
Challenger’s resting place
On January 28, 1986, at 11:30, A.M. just one minute after lift off, the Space Shuttle Challenger and its crew were destroyed in an explosion. After pieces of the Challenger were examined, they were lowered into their permanent storage area in the Minuteman missile silo at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
Space Clipper, Pegasus, Starlighter,Space ShuttleForty years ago today, President Richard Nixon announced the creation of the Space Shuttle program. It was January 5, 1972 in San Clemente, California. Standing with NASA Administrator James E. Fletcher, the President signed an Executive Act and said, “This system will center on a space vehicle that can shuttle repeatedly from Earth to orbit and back.”
“Space Shuttle.” It’s hard to imagine a different name, right? Not so for Peter Flanigan, Assistant to President Nixon. Just one day before the President publicly announced NASA’s latest and greatest, there was still debate over the official name for the program. This White House memo to the President makes a pretty good case that:
The term “shuttle” has a connotation of second class travel and lacks excitement…
Of course, Space Shuttle ultimately made the final cut, but it’s fun to think of the Pegasus program that almost was.
White House Memo; Peter Flanigan to President Nixon, January 4, 1972. Photo of President Nixon and NASA Administrator James C. Fletcher looking at a Space Shuttle model on the day of the program announcement, January 5, 1972. San Clemente, CA. ID #WHPO-8173-07.
(Applause to the Archivists at the Nixon Library for finding this “almost happened” memo!)
What’s your favorite alternative name for the Space Shuttle?
Christmas Wishes from Space
While orbiting the moon on Christmas Eve, 1968, the three-man crew aboard the Apollo 8 spacecraft—Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders—offered live holiday greetings from outer space. After describing the desolation and bleakness of the lunar landscape, the astronauts read from the first ten verses from the Book of Genesis. Commander Frank Borman concluded the historic interplanetary telecast—sent to an audience of half a billion people around the world—with the message:
“And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a merry Christmas, and God bless all of you—all of you on the good Earth.”
August 21, 1965 - Gemini V Mission Images
Check out all 270 images in the National Archives online catalog from the Gemini V Mission that took place from August 21-August 29, 1965.
(a) The Congress hereby declares that it is the policy of the United States that activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind.
(b) The Congress declares that the general welfare and security of the United States require that adequate provision be made for aeronautical and space activities…
Signed by President Dwight Eisenhower on July 29, 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 “provided for research into the problems of flight within and outside the earth’s atmosphere” and established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
“Recovery of Astronauts,” July 24, 1969; Records of the U.S. Information Agency
Having spent 21 hours and 36 minutes on the moon, the Apollo 11 astronauts returned to Earth on July 24, 1969, and were recovered by the USS Hornet after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
In Honor of NASA’s Mars Day - Telegram from the Secretary of the Navy to All Naval Stations Regarding Mars, 08/22/1924
In this telegram from 1924 the Secretary of the Navy requests stations to monitor any unusual electrical phenomenon in the event of attempted radio communication from Mars.
Return to earth - the Ascent Stage of Apollo 11. July 21, 1969.
-from The National Archives digital archives. Nixon Administration
