Lunar Ponderings

A stunning anniversary just passed: 50 years since Apollo 11. We have 6 more Apollo lunar anniversaries to go, (7 overall in this program if one counts the non-lunar Apollo-Soyuz Test Project). For years, I've tracked statistics of Apollo missions and astronauts as they aged. And each time I have to update my records, the solemnity of the loss halts all activity in my brain.

On December 19, 1972, upon the splashdown return of Apollo 17, there were 12 men on planet Earth who knew what it was like to walk on the surface of our Moon. This fact remained true for true for 18 years and 7 months.

Then, in August 1991, James Irwin (Apollo 15) died of a heart attack at age 61.

In 1998, Alan Shepard (Apollo 14) died of leukemia at age 74.

In 1999, Pete Conrad (Apollo 12) was killed in a motorcycle crash at age 69.

In 2012, Neil Armstrong (Apollo 11) died of heart failure at age 82.

In 2016, Ed Mitchell (Apollo 14) died in his sleep at age 85.

In 2017, Gene Cernan (Apollo 10 and 17) died of long-term illness at age 82 and Dick Gordon (Apollo 12) died of cancer at age 88.

In 2018, John Young (Apollo 10 and 16) died of pneumonia at age 978, and Alan Bean (Apollo 12) died of sudden illness at age 86.

Today, as we approach more 50th anniversaries of lunar landings, there are just 4 men left who remember traveling to and working on the Moon.

• Buzz Aldrin turns 90 years old in January 2020.
• David Scott is 87. 
• Jack Schmitt and Charles Duke are both 84.

Among the other Apollo (orbiting or CSM pilot) astronauts, all are now octogenerians, with youngest Ken Mattingly reaching the age of 84.

Even if the youngest of them make it in to their 90s or to 100, will they see another Moon mission? Will they watch astronauts who are American or Chinese? Male or female?  Will it be just as inspiring to the world?

L to R: Charlie Duke (Apollo 16), Buzz Aldrin (11), Walter Cunningham (7), Alfred Worden (15), Rusty Schweickart (9), [Harrison] Jack Schmitt (17), Michael Collins (11), and Fred Haise (13).
PHOTO CREDIT: Felix Kunze/The Explorers Club

Some think we could pull off a Moon mission by 2024, though with how administrations roll (I've seriously been watching various plans and cancellations across my entire lifespan now), it will be more like 2027.

• At that point, Buzz Aldrin will be 97. 
• David Scott will be 94. 
• Jack Schmitt and Charles Duke will be 91. 
• Every living Apollo astronaut will be a nonagenarian. 

I wonder, will they make it? Statistically, the deaths in this tiny club are accelerating, and we can expect to lose a few more before we see a return to the lunar surface, given that even the best technological developments never seem to last past early stages. Anything could suffer cancellation again, in favor of Mars, Asteroids, or on the altar of war, economic depression, or unforseen disaster.

So, when we return to the Moon, if we return to the Moon, will anyone alive personally remember what it was like to visit the Moon?

Something to ponder.

More Moon Tree Road Trips!

Seventeen trees down, 75 to go! I seriously bit off more than I could chew again. When I first learned about the Apollo Moon Trees, and resolved to go visit as many as I could, I figured there were a few dozen. The catalog wasn't all that long in 2009 when the tracking project revived. 

Tree Hugger!! Humboldt Moon Trees, Arcata,
California 3 Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), 1974 

 

While mapping all the moon trees in America and abroad, my list stretched to 80 in total! I'm glad to see more companies and universities submitting their records to be counted now, but I've since given up being able to see all of the known plantings. So far, the most I have managed is six sites in California, one of which had multiple moon trees, and a seventh tucked away in the Grand Canyon State... not easy to find! Many of the resources online only give general whereabouts, so it often requires some detective work to find the right spots. 

El Dorado Hills Moon Tree, Folsom,
California Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), 1976

In many cases, the trees are marked with signs, commemorating the Apollo 14 mission in 1971, when NASA astronaut Stuart Roosa took the 500 tree seeds into space; however, many gifted with moon tree saplings in the 1970s lament that their signs have eroded or been stolen over the years. In a few cases, the trees have perished, leaving only the paperwork behind... and in one case, I found a tree that died -- but the plaque was still there. 

Happily, the largest contingent are trees that have flourished, growing taller in some cases than the "control trees" planted adjacent or nearby. In the case of all the California Giant Sequoias, micro-gravity clearly had no effect on the seeds! After planting, they thundered upward hundreds of feet, and there is no difference in their health as opposed to trees germinated on Earth.

 

Thorpe Park Moon Tree, Flagstaff,
Arizona Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga Menziesii), 1976 

 

The majority of the trees were planted during various American Bicentennial celebrations in 1976, as noted by their signs. However, the earliest were planted in 1974, and after a sparse smattering in the 80s and 90s, some of the second-generation moon trees were planted as recently as 2011. The Sycamores seemed the hardiest species in terms of survival, followed by the Redwoods, then the Loblolly Pines and Douglas Firs. The Sweetgums seemed to fare the worst, with only two known specimens left in existence.

Mission Plaza Moon Tree, San Luis Obispo,
California Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), 1976

 

Next up, I still have some road trips to see the trees in Lockeford and San Dimas; perhaps I'll even head north to see a few in Oregon... To see all the California moon trees I've visited, and their signs, plus the one I visited in Arizona on the way home from driving to the STS-135 Space Shuttle Launch, go to the Pillownaut Gallery, or simply click on any of the pictures.

Moon Musings

A stunning anniversary just passed, and it's been on my mind all weekend.

On December 19, 1972, upon the splashdown return of Apollo 17, there were 12 men on planet Earth who knew what it was like to walk on the surface of our Moon. This fact remained true for true for 18 years and 7 months.

Then, in August 1991, James Irwin (Apollo 15) died of a heart attack at age 61.

In 1998, Alan Shepard (Apollo 14) died of leukemia at age 74.

In 1999, Pete Conrad (Apollo 12) was killed in a motorcycle crash at age 69.

In 2012, Neil Armstrong (Apollo 11) died of heart failure at age 82.

Today, there are 8 men left who remember traveling to and working on the moon.

• Buzz Aldrin turns 85 years old in January.
• Ed Mitchell and John Young are also both 84. 
• Alan Bean and David Scott are both 82. 
• Gene Cernan is 80.
• Jack Schmitt and Charles Duke are both 79.
  

In less than one year, every single man who walked on the Moon will be an octogenarian.

Even if the youngest of them make it in to their 90s or to 100, will they see another Moon mission? Or perhaps, as has been hot news this year, BEYOND the moon? Will they watch astronauts who are American or Chinese? Male or female? Who will be President in that era? Will it be just as inspiring to the world?

Some think we could pull off a Moon mission or beyond by 2020, though with how administrations roll, it will be more like 2025.

• At that point, Buzz Aldrin would be 95. 
• Ed Mitchell and John Young would both be 94. 
• Alan Bean and David Scott would both be 93. 
• Gene Cernan would be 91. 
• Jack Schmitt would be 90. 
• Charles Duke would be 89. 

I wonder, will they make it? Statistically, we can expect to lose a few more of their tiny club before we see a return to the lunar surface, given that even the best ideas are still in the planning stages. Anything could suffer cancellation again, in favor of Mars, Asteroids, or on the altar of war, depression or unforseen disaster.

So, when we go back, if we go back, will anyone alive personally remember what it was like to go the Moon?

Something to ponder.

Apollo Moon Tree

Armed with my handy space maps, I am always on the lookout for Apollo Moon Trees, wherever I go.  Virginia was no exception, and I found the tallest one I've seen yet!

Apollo 14 Command Module pilot Stuart Roosa, who remained in lunar orbit while his cohorts Alan Shepard and Ed Mitchell frolicked about Fra Mauro, took hundreds of redwood, sycamore, pine, fir and sweetgum tree seeds aboard the Kitty Hawk capsule in 1971, at the request of Forest Service employees. Upon return to Earth, the seeds were distributed to various communities, resulting in the "Moon Trees".

Can you think of a better place to plant a Moon Tree?

Most Moon Trees were planted as experimental controls, alongside normal seeds, though many decades later there is no visible difference. The majority were distributed as seedlings, and planted in 1976 for bicentennial celebrations, though the List of Moon Trees records plantings from as early as 1973 and as late as 1984.

A few traveled to foreign nations, and still others found their way to universities, NASA centers, national parks and monuments -- including the White House.  To date, only one was ever deliberately removed – a New Orleans pine that was damaged during Hurricane Katrina.

My recent find was a beautiful sycamore at Booker Elementary School on Apollo Drive in Hampton, Virginia.

Hampton, VA Moon Tree

This particular tree is very special, and different from the others in that it was the result of a poetry contest held among the schoolchildren.

In 1976, then-6th grader Marjorie White (who is 52 now) wrote the winning poem called "A Tree Lives", which Booker has kept on their main office wall for many years, alongside a gold NASA plaque from when the tree was dedicated during the Bicentennial, and once again at the 30th anniversary in 2006.

The Winning Poem!
"A Tree Lives" by Marjorie White
(Click to see original in larger type!)

Despite knowing Roosa had hundreds of seeds, only 90 are listed officially by NASA – and a mere 44 have been photographed by the Waymarkers Moon Tree Group.  Sadly, they were not tracked efficiently. Like the Goodwill Moon Rocks, the 1970s handlers were casual about what would one day become a part of world heritage.

Pulling togehter many resources over the years, I have catalogued directions and coordinates to 83 Apollo Moon Trees, which can be found (along with outdoor scaled Solar Systems) on my Pillownaut Nature Walks Map.

If you know the location of any seeds, or where they were planted, curators at the National Space Science Data Center would love to hear from you. Email NASA if you find one!

Blast (Off) From the Past

Can't believe what I found in a box of books, under years of dust. I'm sure I haven't seen this souvenir since I was a teen. It's still in good shape, too!

This the John F. Kennedy Space Center booklet from 1976. Note the old "Worm" logo, and the cost in the lower right corner... 50 cents! The cover shows the Vehicle Assembly Building, tour buses, tourists, and the Saturn V rocket when it was still on display outdoors. What a treasure of history!

My father bought this for me when I was 7 years old, upon my first trip to KSC Visitor Center (which was much smaller, then). This was one of our Florida stops on a much larger cross-country trip to celebrate America's Bicentennial.

Kennedy Center's Director at the time was Lee R. Scherer (served 1975-1979). The year he took over the position, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Projectsaw the first hand-shake in space between the super-powers of America and Russia.

The booklet features photographs of all the major heavy launch vehicles that blasted off from Cape Canaveral, as well as summaries the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs.

The one thing that stands out in my mind from visiting Kennedy was the Lunar Rover on display. Really? We went to the Moon... and took a car? I thought that was so very cool... but I thought they should have taken something more hip, like my Dad's '69 Camaro! ;)

My favorite part of the book now is the artist's rendering of the "future Space Shuttle".  In 1976, it had been planned, budgeted, designed, and the first orbital vehicle prototype had just been built!  It would be 7 months before Space Shuttle Enterprise performed her first test flight.

It's stunning to think that I have seen four launches of these beautiful shuttles now, and seen three in museums after retirement. At the time this book was purchased, I had never laid eyes on one.  The first STS mission was still 5 years in the future, and none of us could imagine the 30 years of Shuttles to come!

Another favorite page is the map of Cape Canaveral, listing all the launch pads, and which missions (up to that date, of course) launched from each spot.

According to the tallies in the book, by 1976, there had been 31 manned flights, with 43 participating astronauts -- adding up to 22,500+ cumulative man-hours in space (or on the Moon).  In contrast, as of today, there have now been 211 manned missions, with 310 participating astronauts... and number 312 will head to the ISS in September!

Click on any of the pictures above to see full-size originals of the entire (non-copyrighted) booklet!

My God... It's Full of Astronauts!

What a week! Spacefest V was a complete whirlwind of space missions, science, astronomy, social media, moon walkers, brilliant space art, and people from all around the world. And I truly do mean all around the world. I met one woman who flew from Australia just to be here for these 4 days.

Sitting in Gene Cernan's lap... oh, those flyboys!

The highlight of our last day with the astronauts was getting to meet the "Last Man on the Moon", Apollo 17's Gene Cernan! (For the record, before anyone starts quibbling, Jack Schmitt was the 12th man on the moon, Gene was the last one in the LM before ascent to rendezvous with the orbiting CSM).

Friendly and quite game for anything, Gene recorded messages for children who could not be in attendance, and in one situation, even spoke to someone's mother on the phone!  Talk about accommodating. Sure, let me just dial my friend and hand you the phone...

Another huge highlight was visiting the booth of the Meteorite Men, for books, rocks, autographs and pictures!  One conference attendee even purchased from them a small fragment of the Chelyabinsk meteorite that fell in Russia this past February.  Amazing to think they travel the world to get their hands on such things!

Geoffrey Notkin and his Rock Hound Fans

Sunday was panel day at SpaceFest 5; after we all learned about meteorites, we could also choose lectures about Mars issues, the outer solar system, volcanism on distant moons, astrobiology, asteroids, and even spacecraft modeling.

The packed house of the day was the Apollo Panel, where all the Apollo astronauts (missions 7 through 17 were represented by multiple crew members!) and one Apollo mission controller came together to answer crowd questions about mankind's most ambitious project in history -- landing 6 times on our lunar satellite. It was amazing to watch them bask in Apollo glory, though a bit sad to hear their worried commentary about the state of NASA exploration plans today.

However, my favorite was the Comets Panel. A personal hero of mine is David Levy... and as anyone who comet-hunts through telescopes these days know, just about every comet we've seen from Earth in the last era is named after Levy somehow! The sheer list of how many comets he has discovered is incredible!

COMET Panel: Hergenroether,Skylab astronaut Ed Gibson,
astronomer Nick Howes, Kitt Peak Spacewatch's Jim Scotti,
Hale-Bopper Tom Bopp, and industrial-strength Cometeer David Levy!

There's entirely too much to describe, even across a blog-post-per-day! However, I hope people enjoy these small descriptions enough to consider attending a Space Fest Conference in the future! If you were unable to make it this year, I'll definitely be promoting next year's conference as soon as I know the location has been settled. Seems it's between Las Vegas, Nevada and Pasadena, California.

The web sites to watch are the SpaceFest home (where you can see the history of the past 5 conferences) and Novaspace, the organization of people who plan the festivities each year.

Tang Pie

Remember that sugary, orangey-but-not-really-orange drink from our childhoods?!

Contrary to urban legend, TANG was not developed by NASA, or created specifically for space missions. In fact, Tang was flown on just a few early trips -- the first orbit of the Earth by John Glenn in 1962, and select Mercury and Gemini trips -- but that was enough to capture public attention, particularly after it was marketed as the "astronaut's drink"!

The powdered treat was developed General Foods Corporation in 1957 and marketed as an "instant breakfast" food by 1959. Tang, now owned by Mondelēz International (and licensed by Kraft for sugar-free varieties) is still for sale today in different flavors.

Tang packaging in 1979 and in 2009

Today, TANG is also in the Space Food Hall of Fame! In other news... there is actually a Space Food Hall of Fame.

A few years ago, I found and tweeted this amusing recipe from an old, old, old glass bottle: the pie of the future!  It made quite the splash on Twitter, but until I actually spotted a canister of it.  My foodie pal from the Pages, Pucks & Pantry blog bought half the ingredients, I bought the other half, and one evening we teamed up to make the recipe!


Okay, really we were eating pasta and watching a NHL playoff hockey game... but we eventually did make the pie. It only takes about 10 minutes to mix and pour, and if you put it in the freezer, it sets pretty quickly.  4 hours? We don't need no 4 hours!

Very tasty.  I mixed a glass of Tang, and just about spit it right back out upon tasting it.  I'm not 7 years old anymore, and the tart sugar water really loses something after puberty.  Or, maybe it's after one starts imbibing socially!  Either way, I'm no longer on board with the liquid version.

Special thanks to Rene for foodie photo
and groovy 1960s backdrop

However, the pie was awesome!  Very sweet and moussy, and the cream ingredients cut the tartness of the orange sugar.  If I ever make another one, I would make one recipe change: I would cut the sour cream to 1/4 cup (it was too tastable), and replace with ditto amount of whipped cream, or light cream cheese.

So, if you're under 9, enjoy TANG!  If you're under 99, enjoy Tang Pie!  Just don't ever read the ingredients...

NASA's Dr. Duane Graveline

I'd like to extend a vast and hearty thank you to everyone who tuned into The Space Show this past Friday, when the esteemed Dr. Livingston invited me to co-host a broadcast where we interviewed the equally-esteemed former NASA astronaut, Dr. Duane Graveline.

NASA Group #4: "The Scientists" (Duane in top center)

And what a treat! We jumped right in with questions about his first interest in bedrest as an Air Force intern at the famed Walter Reed Army Hospital, where he first seized upon going beyond regular medical corps duties to become a flight surgeon in the mid-1950s, when concerns about "zero-gravity" on future space travelers had just begun.

The good doctor remembered clearly how he selected 10 young men in 1957, and arranged for them to have nothing to do for two weeks but lay in bed at Randolph Air Force Base Hospital. Sounds easy, right? The Air Force guys initially thought that was the world on a platter!  Dr. G conducted baseline tests, including tilt table tests & stress tests, and took measurements of muscle function and blood volume. Amazingly, as I know from my own experiences, these are still staples of all weightlessness simulation programs, 56 years later! They evolved to use different techniques in many cases, but the examination of these measures before and after spaceflight will always be crucial physiological markers.

But then, the troubles began, said Duane with a laugh, and his healthy sense of humor shines through. The subjects wanted to read in bed, they wanted to shave, they wanted to feed themselves... ah, the nerve! LOL!  Turns out, bedrest isn't so simple -- allowances do need to be made in terms of documentting the de-conditioning of space flight, but still ensuring your testers do not grow bored or stir crazy.  What's a space scientist to do?

Astronaut Hall of Fame, Florida

Determined to find something better, Graveline began water immersion experiments in the AeroMed Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, or as he termed it, a "heaven" for any research-oriented person.  His demands were simple: 9x9x8 rooms full of water with viewing ports, with water maintained at a constant 95 degree temperature. Not too much to ask, right?  He designed a suit for use in the tank and then -- as a former test volunteer, I love this part -- he underwent a solid week of water immersion himself!

If you tune into the Space Show recoding in the archives for no other reason, listen for his experiences in the tank -- how he survived on liquids, and the testing protocols used.  An explosion of interest followed, landing him on the "Today" show, and led to his being given whole series of tests where he worked with both mice and humans in different micro-gravity simulations.

The most detailed of the sims involved specially designed pressure helmets and more complex underwater garments.  And unlike bedrest where immobility is crucial, so as not to bias the data with any influence of gravity, the aquanauts were freer to read books, play games and enjoy their unique environment while Dr. Graveline conducted electrocardiograms or recorded brain waves.

LIFE Magazine Centerfold, 1959

See that dude in the picture above? Imagine floating that way for 7 days straight! That's Dr. G to the right, looking into the custom water tank. It would many years before NASA had their own similar facilities, but both water immersion and bedrest techniques would continue to be developed over the coming decades, yielding valuable data about counter-measures in space... and also vital information as to how astronauts are best rehabilitated physically when they finally return to Earth's gravity. As a result, we are able to keep our space workers living in space for longer periods of time -- but without the potential lifelong risks that many suffered in the days of the Mir space station.

I think my favorite part was where LIFE Magazine called BioAstronautics a "bizarre new science".  Well, I guess now it's a bizarre middle-aged science.

To listen to the archived broadcast, please see Dr. David Livingston's web site for THE SPACE SHOW.

The Bed Pilot Pioneer

The ultimate "unsung hero" to us modern pillownauts... so we're going to do some singing!

Dr. Duane Graveline was the first scientist to conduct a space flight simulation study to analyze the effects of weightlessness on the human body. He entered the USAF Medical Service in 1955 to study aviation medicine, and was granted the rating of "Flight Surgeon" in February 1957.

Graveline went to Brooks AFB Aerospace Medical Laboratory in 1960, where his specialized research involved bed rest and water immersion to study biological changes in extended micro-gravity.


In June 1965, Dr. Graveline was selected with NASA's fourth group of scientist astronauts for jet pilot training, supporting the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo eras as a flight controller. This man who laid the groundwork for astronaut biodata (from Enos the Chimp to Alan Shepard!) also developed the lower body negative pressure device for zero-G tolerance testing – used in Skylab, Mir, Shuttles and the ISS.

Now 81, Graveline is the author of medical books, science fiction, and a fantastic website of collected medical research adn articles conducted by practicing or retired doctors who have no influence by or affiliation with any pharmaceutical companies. Anyone applying for the current studies should definitely read his essays in the Space Medicine section, particularly:

• Astronaut Post-Flight Syncope
• Body Fluid Changes in Space
• Bone Demineralization
• Musculoskeletal Deconditioning
• Retinal Flashes and the Moon
• Stress Exercise Dangers
• Tilt Table Testing (You have to do this if you join a NASA study!)
• Weightlessness

Key excerpt: "...assigned to Bruno, one of Von Braun's rigid German scientists. We were to study bed rest de-conditioning, aka couch potato assessment under the old adage: don't use it, you lose it. We would go from a two-week bed rest study to one of freely floating in a tank of water for one week. Now we have proof from MIR and the ISS of Mother Earth's gravitational demands that even with two hours of aggressive exercise daily, we are barely are able to stand on return..."

Graveline also wrote a fascinating book about his time as an Aerospace Medical Analyst for the USAF Foreign Technology Team in the late 1950s.  The Soviets were far ahead of the USA at the time, and his unique, super-secret affiliation with their BioAstronautics program gave him some very different insights about space travel compared to other astronauts training in that early era.

He was part of a small crowd of medical scientists who reviewed preparations and steps for Laika the Dog for her ride on Sputnik2; contrary to many urban legends and conspiracy theories, he personally confirms Laika's electrocardiograms in November of 1957, and that she survived at least the first two days in orbit.  He would also get to later review the biotelemetry of cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin and Gherman Titov. Check out "From Laika With Love" on Amazon!

Blue Moon for Neil Armstrong's Memorial

Ah, cosmological karma. All for Neil.

Contrary to our casual phraseology, a "Blue Moon" refers less to color of our lunar satellite than to lunar cycles, and has had many definitions throughout history. Simply put, a blue moon is a FULL MOON that is not timed to the regular monthly pattern – a "full moon" being when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, thus fully illuminated and appearing voluminously round.

Most solar years have one full moon per month, but each calendar year contains about eleven excess days in addition to those twelve cycles. These days accumulate, so that every 2.7 years, there is an extra full moon, commonly referred to as a Blue Moon.


Prior to this modern definition, blue moons referred to an extra full moon in a three-month season, when folkloric names for each monthly moon of the Gregorian Calendar followed ecclesiastical rules. Seasonal names were assigned relative to solstices and equinoxes, largely for determining the dates of Easter and Lent. Any "extra" moon (early or late) was referred to as a blue moon, though they did not always fall in the "same month."

Are actual BLUE moons ever reported? Sure. When the moon appears to an Earthling viewer as curiously bluish in terms of tint, look around for a forest fire or recently erupted volcano. Such phenomena have been known to disperse smoke or dust particles into the atmosphere, in which cases short-wavelength light transmits blue rays into human eyes.

Of course, I'm simplifying a complex process here, so if you're really interested in the full origins and history, there’s a fantastic article over at Sky & Telescope Magazine. The explanation of a blue moon simply being the second full moon in one month is often considered a "trendy mistake" derived from an almanac published in the 1930s, but most astronomers don’t seem too terribly offended by it.


Tonight's Blue Moon seems all the more beautiful and timely, considering that today is Neil Armstrong's private memorial in his home state of Ohio. Such a fitting cosmic coincidence for our dearly department Moonwalker.

Please also consider donating to the Neil Armstrong Scholarship Fund, founded by the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AAIA). There are options for snail-mail, telephone, internet, credit card and Paypal.

The Lunar 12 - Updated

1.DECEASED: Neil Armstrong left NASA in 1971, weary from constant requests for appearances. He agreed to appear in documentaries and on key anniversaries. When he was quoted, it’s usually to remind people that while his foot was the first on the moon, thousands of space program workers put him there. Armstrong passed away August 25, 2012, at the age of 82, of complications following heart surgery.

2. Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin (age 82) retired from NASA in 1972 and returned to the Air Force, where he had a rocky career due to depression and alcohol problems, but recovered and went on to write or co-author two memoirs, three space history books, and two novels. Now one of the most accessible Apollo astronauts, Buzz makes public appearances all over the world and continues to promote space exploration. He even Danced With The Stars! Again.

3. DECEASED: Charles “Pete” Conrad left the space program in 1973 to become chief operating officer of American Television & Communications Corp. and later vice president of McDonnell-Douglas. He also did occasional film/TV appearances and NASA documentaries. Conrad died at age 69 from internal injuries in 1999 after a motorcycle accident in Ojai, CA. He is survived by 3 of his his 4 sons.


4. Alan Bean (age 80), retired from the Navy in 1975, but continued as head of the Candidate Operations and Training Group within the Astronaut Office as a civilian. He retired from NASA in 1981 to devote his life to painting in his Houston studio, re-creating his views of various Apollo space missions and even incorporating moon dust into his artworks. He has penned two memoirs, co-authored two space program histories, and also written a book about painting.

5. DECEASED: Alan Shepard, also the first American in space, retired from both the Navy and NASA in 1974, and became president of the Mercury Seven Foundation in Houston, a non-profit organization which provides college science scholarships. He also served on the boards of many corporations where he had business interests. He co-authored one book about the moon program, though no personal memoir. He died of leukemia in 1998, at the age of 74, survived by his three daughters.

6. Edgar Mitchell (age 81) retired from both the Navy and NASA in 1972 and founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) in Palo Alto, CA. Most recently, he also began work as Advisory Board Chairman of the Institute for Cooperation in Space. He has appeared in documentaries, written two books about science and space, and also infamously announced that NASA has secret knowledge of extra-terrestrial creatures.


7. David Scott (age 80) retired from the Navy in 1975 to serve as Director of NASA's Flight Research Center, then retired from NASA in 1977. He wrote “Two Sides of the Moon” with Russian Alexei Leonov, the first man to walk in space. He founded Scott Science & Technology near Manhattan Beach, CA. He commentated for British TV on the first Space Shuttle flight (STS-1) in 1981.

8. DECEASED: James Irwin left NASA and the Air Force in 1972 to found the evangelical High Flight Foundation in Colorado Springs, CO. He served as their Chairman until he died of a heart attack in 1991, at the age of 61. He was the first of the Moonwalkers to pass away, survived by his 5 children. He wrote 3 space program memoirs, one religious book and co-authored one space history book.

9. John Young (age 81), after walking on the moon in 1972, also served as commander of the STS-1 and STS-9 missions on Space Shuttle Columbia. As he had also flown two Gemini and two Apollo missions, he became the first man to fly six missions across 3 programs. He retired from NASA in 2004, after a 42-year career at JSC, still lives in Houston and makes occasional personal appearances on behalf of the space program.


10. Charles Duke (76) was already a retired Air Force Reserve Brigadier General before he walked on the moon in 1972. He retired from NASA in 1975 and founded Duke Investments, Duke Enterprises and Duke Ministry for Christ, based in New Braunfels, TX. He is also chairman of the board of directors of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.

11. Harrison “Jack” Schmitt (77) resigned from NASA in 1975 and worked as a consultant and writer/speaker. In the late 80s, he ran for the U.S. Senate representing New Mexico, and served 6 years in Congress. In the 90s, he was professor of engineering at the University of Wisconsin and also President of the Annapolis Center for Environmental Quality. He now lives in Albuquerque, NM. Schmitt claims to have taken the photograph of Earth known as "Blue Marble", one of the most popular photographic images in existence (NASA officially credits the entire Apollo 17 crew).

12. Eugene Cernan (78) was the last man to walk on the moon in 1972, hence his 1999 book, “The Last Man On The Moon.” Catchy! He retired from NASA and the Navy in 1976 and formed the Cernan Corporation in Houston. He later served as Chairman of the Board for Johnson Engineering Corp., a NASA contractor which designs space crew stations and habitats. He was once a contributor to Good Morning America, and still appears on many televisions shows, and makes personal appearances for the space program.

Neil Armstrong: Flag at Half-Staff

For the past three days, I've been trying to collect and articulate my thoughts about the passing of Neil Armstrong, but it just seems overwhelming.

In many ways, there is far too much to say, far too many things to list about this amazing explorer. In another way, there is nothing to say. Neil, as an Earthling, was known by all of humanity, regardless of borders; no writer need memorialize his accomplishments in the same way we craft other obituaries.

My cousin has an 11-year-old son. Just out of curiosity, I asked him, "Do you know who Neil Armstrong is?" The response was immediate: "Astronaut guy!" And while he didn't know Neil's test pilot and Gemini mission details, the basics were clearly universal. Moonwalker.

Nice. But, not enough. Will upcoming generations care about the moon the way we did, those of us who watched Apollo missions with our own eyes?

The moon has a long, beautiful legacy of mystery... thousands of years' worth, in fact. Neil was the man who cleared everything up for the human species, after centuries of observation, speculation, deduction and downright wild guesses.

"Everything has a natural explanation.
The moon is not a god, but a great rock, and
the sun a hot rock." – Anaxagoras, 433 BC

Anaxagoras was right, but Neil was the one who proved it. Would they step onto the surface and sink up to their waists in moon dust? Would the space suits hold up? No one knew. Would they crash? Would they be able to return?

Richard Nixon famously had two speeches at the ready, one in case Neil landed safely, and one in case of disaster, whereby he and Buzz might be marooned on our pearly satellite.

Astronauts of the early era were the "Right Stuff" test pilot crowd, the swaggering risk-takers who were courageous (cough*cough*CRAZY*cough) enough to head into the unknown. Neil was first because he deserved to be first.

Armstrong's Hometown Newspaper in Ohio

Sadly, he is the fourth moonwalker to leave us. There are eight left, and the youngest of them is 76 years old. We may not see press ripples like this one until the last is gone, but I'm sure not looking forward to the dominoes falling.

Sorry to be so sad today, and I thank all the readers here and followers on Facebook and Twitter who have shared stories and commiserated with this great loss for our entire planet.

No More Moon Trips!

So, on this Holiest of Days for space geeks everywhere, where we celebrate the landing of Americans on the moon, it may surprise some people to know:


That's right. Support for space technology back then was about what support is for space technology now: plentiful among the science junkies, sparse among the average joes, judgmental, skeptical, and resounding with the ever-present squalls of "hey, that's taxpayer money!"

Yes. Yes, it is.

And you have a satellite TV, cellular phone, GPS, easy access to clean water, increased food availability, better weather warning systems, and advanced life-saving medical technology because of those precious tax-payer dollars spent on space. Be prepared to give all that up if you don't believe space is a worthwhile endeavour -- because satellites don't get into orbit by magic.

What, you don't trust us?

In 2003, the Division of Space History in the National Air & Space Museum (part of the Smithsonian Institution) released the "Public opinion polls and perceptions of US human spaceflight" which addresses the notions of massive support for Apollo that has inexplicably waned in modern times.

The somewhat lengthy but entirely-worth-reading (make a sandwich first) spaceflight study includes this stunning paragraph:

"Many people believe Project Apollo was popular, because it garnered significant media attention, but polls do not support a contention that Americans embraced the missions. Consistently throughout the 1960s a majority did not believe Apollo was worth the cost, with the one exception to this a poll taken at the time of the Apollo 11 lunar landing in July 1969."

In other words, after a decade of having our asses handed to us by the Soviet space program, the mob only got on board that one day we finally had our own victory!



We waved our flags and patted ourselves on the back and smiled for the cameras. Then, everyone went back to bashing space, despite our modern lives being completely and utterly dependent on it.

You know, I was going to throw in some more pictures here and write some commentary about all this, but now I am too depressed to continue. So here's a song by Craftlass I'm downloading and singing along to while I drown my spacey sorrows... words and lyrics for Familiar Frontier are perfect for days like this one.

*sigh* ... Will we ever learn?

Apollo Moon Tree Map

Another map project! Added to the master list of Solar System walks all over the world, here are all the Apollo Moon Trees planted since 1974. I was very happy to visit 7 sites thus far, but I clearly have a long way to go, since there are 82 total!

Apollo Moon Trees Map - Click to embiggen!

NASA Goddard has two wonderful pages covering First Generation Apollo Moon Trees, and later Second Generation Moon Trees seeded from the first. In addition, many people update the Moon Tree list on Wikipedia, and a happy group of geocaching adventureres consistently add materials to the Waymarkers Moon Tree Group.

Unfortunately, all the lists are different! While each is a good list to start with, none were complete, so I decided to try to research a comprehensive and updated map, which I will try to keep as current as possible.

Capitol Building Moon Tree, Sacramento, California
Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), 1976

In each listing, the waymark (if there is one) is noted with exact latitude and longitude coordinates, since lone trees can be more difficult to find than other facilities. Inside the map are exact addresses for the nearest street locale, if coordinates are not available.

Sometimes the listings can be confusing, so click into the links to read the stories. For instance, one person recruited to review my initial list told me, "You forgot the New Orleans moon tree!" Actually, I didn't. While NASA notes it being planted, it was damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and subsequently removed.

Another NASA listing notes a spot in Michigan, where a moon tree was accidentally cut down during building renovations. Yikes! ( Good thing they later applied for a second generation sapling, which was replanted nearby.) It's worth it to click around on the Pillownaut Map Page and the Google Map itself to ensure you have all the information before traveling.

Mission Plaza Moon Tree, Monterey, California
Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), 1976

Note: My map does NOT list any moon trees at private residences around the country, because this is intended to be a travel guide to trees that are available for public viewing. I'm sure not sending tourists to anyone's back yard! Private residence trees, minus precise locations, are on the Moon Tree map on the NASA.gov server.

For a looks at some of the trees visited by Camilla Corona of NASA Goddard SDO, see this Apollo Moon Tree Picasa Gallery!