Where were you 40 years ago?

[outersketcher]

I wasn't even a twinkle in my father's eye back then... But what a moment in history that must've been to experiance!

Now, if we could just get the idea of space travel into the hearts and minds of your average entrepeneur... Can you imagine what companies like Apple, Honda, BMW and Intel could do with a space program? We'd be flying to Saturn in 5 years flat if there was a way to make money doing so.

It's the work and ideas of people like Burt Rutan, Richard Branson (Virgin Atlantic) and Paul Allen, (a co-founder of Microsoft) that will get us into space.

I'm afraid that if we put our hope and faith into the fumblings and bureaucracies of government-run space programs, we can expect no more than another four decades of "nothen much". Although I have no problem with government FUNDING of private ventures. I think that would satisfy the need for new creativity.

The first 60yrs of aviation are delightful! Here's hoping that we can do the same for space travel.

David

[Retired_for_now]

Watched it on TV obsessively with the family and Uncle Walter - launch thru splashdown and quarantine. Went outside on the 20th and looked up at the Moon (Dad said "there's people up there now").

Yogi

[airdave]

funny...right after reading and posting in this thread, I got my latest instalment of the "The Big Picture", which just happens to be...

"Remembering Apollo 11"
Remembering Apollo 11 - The Big Picture - Boston.com

Relax for 20 minutes and take a good long look through this series of absolutely astounding photos!
Some I have never seen before.
Some incredible shots!

[ashevilleangler]

It was during our Super-Sophmore high school field trip with the Carmelite brothers from St Francis DeSales H.S. We were at a Carmelite monastery in Joliet Illinois. About 30 of us hudled around a tiny BW tv. We all felt that the world ahead held endless possibilities. Ah youth!

Cecil

[Thomas Meek]

I remember it well. I was naked, at the home of my next door neighbors who were nudists or "nakedists" as they liked to say.

I took a picture from the B&W TV screen and showed it around at work the next day. Fun.

Ah, youth!

[buffalowings]

wasn't born yet

[Retired_for_now]

Originally Posted by outersketcher

Can you imagine what companies like Apple, Honda, BMW and Intel could do with a space program? We'd be flying to Saturn in 5 years flat if there was a way to make money doing so.

It's the work and ideas of people like Burt Rutan, Richard Branson (Virgin Atlantic) and Paul Allen, (a co-founder of Microsoft) that will get us into space.

You nailed it buddy, not a technical problem to go back - just money. From twinkle to bending metal and spewing fire it didn't take much longer than that to do the Saturn V in the '60s. Key is money. You don't realize the scale of the logisitics once you look at the energy (delta-V) needed to get to orbit and beyond. If Burt's gonna go orbital he'll need a bigger rocket (system).

Yogi (the space elevator's the answer)

[elliott]

I was 16 and in Navy Sea Cadet boot camp in Tampa (Orlando?). I had fire watch that night and went up to the roof, sat there staring at the moon thinking that there were two humans UP THERE. Incredibly awesome feeling. Nothing was impossible now.

[lepercan]

Flat on my back at Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco recovering from being blown up during Tet '68 (Yep, a total of 21 months before they put me back to work... in a desk job)

[buffalowings]

Originally Posted by lepercan

Flat on my back at Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco recovering from being blown up during Tet '68 (Yep, a total of 21 months before they put me back to work... in a desk job)

tell us more, sounds VERY interesting