DC TRIP: Space Stuff
A replica of Sputnik 1, a beach-ball sized dingus the Russians threw into the sky back in 1957. This is a replica, as the real thing burned up on its way home. One of many cool things we saw at the National Air and Space Museum.
A replica of the first US satellite, launched in 1958. This baby was less than seven feet long.
This is the honest-to-gawd capsule that took John Glenn into space in 1962. Mercury Friendship 7 is about half the size of a Volkswagen bug. Said Glenn, "You don't get in it, you put it on."
The guys NASA crammed into this little deuce coupe were so uncomfortable one of them got out and took a walk. Gemini IV was launched in 1965 and stayed up there four days.
This Lunar Module looks like it was slapped together by McGyver out of aluminum and tin foil. The first one went up on Apollo 5 in 1968. This one, built for a second mission, wasn't needed and was used for ground testing.
NASA used this Viking Lander on Earth, to simulate the actions of identical ones sent to Mars in 1975. It's about the size of an SUV.
I remember when Sputnik 1 went up, it was a very big deal, and we discussed it in school; the teacher was very excited about it, and hearing the signals from it.
ReplyDeleteVery cool post. Thank you.
Oh my. The Air and Space Museum. There was a time (1979) when I went there on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteIt's a long story.