Kansas Cosmosphere Blogs

How Slow can the SR-71 Fly?

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:20:00 -0400

Brian Shul, Retired SR-71 Pilot via Plane and Pilot Magazine, provides an answer. As a former SR-71 pilot, and a professional keynote speaker, the question I'm most often asked is "How fast would that SR-71 fly?" I can be assured of hearing that question several times at any event I attend. It's an interesting question, given the aircraft's proclivity for speed, but there really isn't one number to give, as the jet would always give you a little more speed if you wanted it to. It was common to see 35 miles a minute. Because we flew a programmed Mach number on most missions, and never wanted to harm the plane in any way, we never let it run out to any limits of temperature or speed.. Thus, each SR-71 pilot had his own individual "high" speed that he saw at some point on some mission. I saw mine over Libya when Khadafy fired two missiles my way, and max power was in order. Let's just say that the plane truly loved speed and effortlessly took us to Mach numbers we hadn't previously seen. So it was with great surprise, when at the end of one of my presentations, someone asked, "What was the slowest you ever flew the Blackbird?" This was a first. After giving it some thought, I was reminded of a story that I had never shared before, and I relayed the following. I was flying the SR-71 out of RAF Mildenhall, England, with my back-seater, Walt Watson; we were returning from a mission over Europe and the Iron Curtain when we received a radio transmission from home base. As we scooted across Denmark in three minutes, we learned that a small RAF base in the English countryside had requested an SR-71 fly-past. The air cadet commander there was a former Blackbird pilot, and thought it would be a motivating moment for the young lads to see the mighty SR-71 perform a low approach. No problem, we were happy to do it. After a quick aerial refuelling over the North Sea, we proceeded to find the small airfield. Walter had a myriad of sophisticated navigation equipment in the back seat, and began to vector me toward the field. Descending to subsonic speeds, we found ourselves over a densely wooded area in a slight haze. Like most former WWII British airfields, the one we were looking for had a small tower and little surrounding infrastructure. Walter told me we were close and that I should be able to see the field, but I saw nothing. Nothing but trees as far as I could see in the haze. We got a little lower, and I pulled the throttles back from 325 knots we were at. With the gear up, anything under 275 was just uncomfortable. Walt said we were practically over the field-yet; there was nothing in my windscreen. I banked the jet and started a gentle circling maneuver in hopes of picking up anything that looked like a field. Meanwhile, below, the cadet commander had taken the cadets up on the catwalk of the tower in order to get a prime view of the fly-past. It was a quiet, still day with no wind and partial gray overcast. Walter continued to give me indications that the field should be below us but in the overcast and haze, I couldn't see it. The longer we continued to peer out the window and circle, the slower we got. With our power back, the awaiting cadets heard nothing. I must have had good instructors in my flying career, as something told me I better cross-check the gauges. As I noticed the airspeed indicator slide below 160 knots, my heart stopped and my adrenalin-filled left hand pushed two throttles full forward. At this point we weren't really flying, but were falling in a slight bank. Just at the moment that both afterburners lit with a thunderous roar of flame (and what a joyous feeling that was) the aircraft fell into full view of the shocked observers on the tower. Shattering the still quiet of that morning, they now had 107 feet of fire-breathing titanium in their face as the plane levelled and accelerated, in full burner, on the tower side of the infield, closer than expected, maintaining what could only be described as some sort of ultimate knife-edge pass. Quickly reaching the field boundary, we proceeded back to Mildenhall without incident. We didn't say a word for those next 14 minutes. After landing, our commander greeted us, and we were both certain he was reaching for our wings. Instead, he heartily shook our hands and said the commander had told him it was the greatest SR-71 fly-past he had ever seen, especially how we had surprised them with such a precise maneuver that could only be described as breathtaking. He said that some of the cadet's hats were blown off and the sight of the plan form of the plane in full afterburner dropping right in front of them was unbelievable. Walt and I both understood the concept of "breathtaking" very well that morning and sheepishly replied that they were just excited to see our low approach. As we retired to the equipment room to change from space suits to flight suits, we just sat there-we hadn't spoken a word since "the pass." Finally, Walter looked at me and said, "One hundred fifty-six knots. What did you see?" Trying to find my voice, I stammered, "One hundred fifty-two." We sat in silence for a moment. Then Walt said, "Don't ever do that to me again!" And I never did. A year later, Walter and I were having lunch in the Mildenhall Officer's club, and overheard an officer talking to some cadets about an SR-71 fly-past that he had seen one day. Of course, by now the story included kids falling off the tower and screaming as the heat of the jet singed their eyebrows. Noticing our HABU patches, as we stood there with lunch trays in our hands, he asked us to verify to the cadets that such a thing had occurred. Walt just shook his head and said, "It was probably just a routine low approach; they're pretty impressive in that plane." Impressive indeed. Little did I realize after relaying this experience to my audience that day that it would become one of the most popular and most requested stories. It's ironic that people are interested in how slow the world's fastest jet can fly. Regardless of your speed, however, it's always a good idea to keep that cross-check up. and keep your Mach up, too.

New Blog

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:19:00 -0400

The Cosmosphere's official blog has moved to a new location. Please update your bookmarks and subscriptions. Visit us at http://www.cosmo.org/cosmoblog/. See you there!

Photo Exhibit Never Seen in US now at Cosmosphere

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:33:00 -0400

The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is hosting, "Reflections: Images of Apollo," a unique photo exhibit from Space Collector, Leslie Cantwell. This is the first time these inscribed photographs have been seen in the United States. Gathered personally by Mr. Cantwell, this exhibit features 100, large-scale, official NASA photographs inscribed by the astronauts and others involved with the missions. This is the largest collection of its kind, and the Cosmosphere is pleased to be chosen as the first place Cantwell has allowed to exhibit the photos in the US. The collection includes not only autographs, but also lengthy inscriptions by many of the astronauts. Some capture funny exchanges that occurred at the time, others feature text from the great writers and poets throughout history, and some include descriptions of chilling moments of the space program. It's rare to have even a signature from astronauts John Young, Buzz Aldrin or Michael Collins, but in this collection they have also written lengthy personal inscriptions on the photos. This collection is a tribute to the Apollo program and its extraordinary achievements. In addition to those listed above, also included are photos signed by Alan Bean, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, Harrison Schmitt, Gene Kranz, and Gene Cernan, as well as many others. Walter Cunningham, Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 7, is quoted as saying, "These are rare and unique pictures from a unique time in the history of the world." Cantwell's interest in the US Space program started in 1981 when he met moonwalker Jim Irwin in Germany. Irwin inscribed a photo of a man standing on the moon with the words, "with love from the moon." Cantwell put it aside, but when he rediscovered the photo 10 years later, it ignited an interest in this history and he began pursuing other photos. The decision to combine the 16" X 20" photos with handwritten text from those involved takes the photo beyond visual art. Cantwell is preserving an important part of our history like no one else has and is promoting the achievements of the American space program to a new generation. The original photographs are on display at the Cosmosphere in the rotunda.

40th Anniversary Celebration Today

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:49:00 -0400

People joined together at the Cosmosphere today to celebrate the 40th anniversary of man's landing on the moon. With audio from 40 years ago playing in the background, people enjoyed cake and liquid oxygen, tang-flavored ice cream. Thanks to Wal-Mart for donating the cake. Both KSN and KAKE TV, as well as the Hutchinson News covered the event as President and CEO Chris Orwoll made some brief comments before cutting the cake. KWCH did a preview piece on Sunday night's news. Today also marked the opening of the special exhibit from Leslie Cantwell, "Reflections: Images of Apollo." In case you can't make it out in the photo, Buzz Aldrin inscribed this photo with the words, "Envy the nation that has heroes." The Cosmosphere also opened the exhibit today featuring The Trophy Trout and other Apollo "gotcha" gifts.

Cosmosphere Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Moon Landing

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:40:00 -0400

On July 20, 1969, at 2:17 p.m., Apollo 11 landed on the moon. It remains one of man's greatest achievements of all time. The Cosmosphere will celebrate the 40th anniversary of this milestone Monday with a number of different activities. Most are free to the public. OPENING OF "REFLECTIONS: IMAGES OF APOLLO" Photographs and messages from Apollo astronauts and Mission Control personnel sharing their thoughts, quotes and poems inspired by that era. This is the first showing of this exhibit inside the United States. (see additional information below) OPENING OF NEW APOLLO ARTIFACT EXHIBIT "Gotcha" gifts given to Guenter Wendt, Pad Leader for Apollo 11, by Neil Armstrong and his crewmates on launch day. FREE SCREENINGS OF APOLLO DOCUMENTARIES Showings at 10 AM, 12 PM, 2 PM, and 4 PM in Discovery Room Wonder of it All Live from the Moon IMAX FILM - MAGNIFICENT DESOLATION Showing at 10 AM, 12 PM, 4 PM and 6 PM. Tom Hanks captures the experience of walking on the moon in this IMAX classic. Get your 40% discount on tickets at the front desk for this film showing in the IMAX Theater. KIDS' COLORING AREA Main lobby: color a reproduced Apollo-era coloring page. CAKE AND LIQUID OXYGEN ICE CREAM Cake will be cut at 2:17 PM in the main lobby. Enjoy cake, Tang-flavored liquid oxygen ice cream, and other refreshments. SHARE YOUR MEMORIES Share your memories of the Apollo landings. Come in and record your memories on video of the Apollo landing so your thoughts on the significance of that amazing event can be preserved for posterity and shared with others. You can also go to http://www.cosmo.org/moonlanding/ and write on the moon landing memories blog at any time. Reflections: Images of Apollo In honor of the 40th anniversary of man walking on the moon, The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is hosting, "Reflections: Images of Apollo," a unique photo exhibit from Space Collector, Leslie Cantwell. This is the first time these inscribed photographs have been seen in the United States. Gathered personally by Mr. Cantwell, this exhibit features 100, large-scale, official NASA photographs inscribed by the astronauts and others involved with the missions. This is the largest collection of its kind, and the Cosmosphere is pleased to be chosen as the first place Cantwell has allowed to exhibit the photos in the US. The collection includes not only autographs, but also lengthy inscriptions by many of the astronauts. Some capture funny exchanges that occurred at the time, others feature text from the great writers and poets throughout history, and some include descriptions of chilling moments of the space program. It's rare to have even a signature from astronauts John Young, Buzz Aldrin or Michael Collins, but in this collection they have also written lengthy personal inscriptions on the photos. This collection is a tribute to the Apollo program and its extraordinary achievements. In addition to those listed above, also included are photos signed by Alan Bean, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, Harrison Schmitt, Gene Kranz, and Gene Cernan, as well as many others. Walter Cunningham, Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 7, is quoted as saying, "These are rare and unique pictures from a unique time in the history of the world." Cantwell's interest in the US Space program started in 1981 when he met moonwalker Jim Irwin in Germany. Irwin inscribed a photo of a man standing on the moon with the words, "with love from the moon." Cantwell put it aside, but when he rediscovered the photo 10 years later, it ignited an interest in this history and he began pursuing other photos. The decision to combine the 16" X 20" photos with handwritten text from those involved takes the photo beyond visual art. Cantwell is preserving an important part of our history like no one else has and is promoting the achievements of the American space program to a new generation. The original photographs will be on display at the Cosmosphere beginning on July 20, the 40th anniversary of the moon landing.

NASA Roundtable Thursday about the Legacy of Apollo

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:21:00 -0400

NASA Invites Media and Public to Discussion About Legacy of Apollo WASHINGTON -- On Thursday, July 16, at 1 p.m. EDT, (noon, central time) NASA will host a roundtable discussion titled "Apollo: History and Legacy," to mark the 40th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11. Members of the news media and public are invited to attend the panel in the James E. Webb Memorial Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E Street SW in Washington. The discussion will be broadcast live on NASA Television. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and schedule information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv The discussion will begin with remarks by NASA Acting Administrator Christopher Scolese. NASA Chief Historian Steven J. Dick will moderate the discussion. The panelists are: - Cristina Guidi, deputy director, Constellation Systems Division, Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters - Roger Launius, senior curator in space history, National Air and Space Museum - John Logsdon, Charles A. Lindbergh chair in aerospace history, Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, Washington - Craig Nelson, author of "Rocket Men: The Epic Story of the First Men on the Moon" - Michael Neufeld, chair of the division of space history, National Air and Space Museum, and author of "Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War" NASA's Apollo 40th anniversary Web sites provide easy access to various agency resources and multimedia about the program and the history of human spaceflight, including a gallery of Apollo multimedia features. The site is online at: http://www.nasa.gov/apollo40th For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov

Joe Engle Was a Big Hit

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:59:00 -0400

Astronaut Joe Engle spoke to a standing-room only crowd at the Cosmosphere Friday night. Some people had traveled quite a distance to see him. He used a model of the X-15 during his speech. There were three of these planes, and two still exist. The one Engle flew most of the time is in the Smithsonian, where this photo was taken some years ago. The other one is in a museum in Dayton, Ohio. This photo was taken in 2004. The warnings on the side give reason to pause. Afterwards he signed photos and models and chatted with people until everyone got through the line. He was the grand marshal in the Hutchinson Patriot's Parade the next morning. Photos courtesty of Greg Holmes at www.thelope.com, and Patsy Terrell at www.patsyterrell.com.

Joe Engle at Cosmosphere

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:28:00 -0400

NASA astronaut Major General Joe Engle will speak at the Cosmosphere tonight - Friday, July 3 - at 7 p.m. in a presentation that's free and open to the public. A native Kansan, Engle was an X-15 pilot and spacecraft Commander on Shuttle missions. The following morning, he will be the Grand Marshal in the Hutchinson Fourth of July Parade. Engle was the youngest pilot ever to qualify as an astronaut in 1965 when he flew the X-15 to an altitude of 280,600 feet. In 1981, Engle commanded the second orbital test flight of the Space Shuttle "Columbia," and became the first and only pilot to manually fly an aerospace vehicle from Mach 25 to landing. Engle was Commander of Space Shuttle "Discovery" on flight 51-I in 1985. The crew deployed three communications satellites, and performed a successful on-orbit rendezvous and manual repair of a disabled communications satellite. Engle has flown over 185 different types of aircraft including 38 different fighter and attack aircraft. He has logged more than 14,700 flight hours - 9,900 in jets and over 224 hours in space. His military decorations include the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster. He has also been awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and NASA Space Flight Medal with device. As "Test Pilot Emeritus" of the USAF Test Pilot School, he remains active in flying, including current jet fighter aircraft, and is also an avid outdoor sportsman and wildlife enthusiast. He has been inducted into the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame, the Astronaut Hall of Fame, and in 2001 he was one of four aviation pioneers enshrined into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

Trophy Trout Comes to Cosmosphere

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:37:00 -0400

The "Trophy Trout," given to Pad Leader Guenter Wendt by astronaut Mike Collins on July 16, 1969, has a new home at the Cosmosphere. It is on load from Leon Ford. The trout was "fresh" when nailed on the board and presented to Wendt. He had it in his freezer for 14 years before he found someone who could freeze dry and preserve it. The Trophy Trout will eventually be on display at the Cosmosphere, along with other gifts the astronauts exchanged. Many of them were gag gifts, but a fresh trout took that up a notch. During Coffee at the Cosmosphere in June, Chris Orwoll told the story of the now famous trout.

Mr. Brad's Astrono-Blog

Wed, 06 May 2009 15:33:00 -0400

Hello again fellow stargazers! Its time to talk about what's happening in the sky during May.

The constellations of winter including, Orion the hunter, Canis Major the dog, Taurus the bull, and Gemini the twins hang low in the western sky immediately after sunset. You can still catch a glimpse of these stragglers of winter if you do so in the next week or two. After that, they will be lost in the Sun's glare, not to return to the evening sky until next winter.

The spring constellation, Leo the lion, reigns high overhead at sunset, dominating the spring sky. Just below Leo's hind end lies beautiful, yellow Saturn. A small telescope reveals Saturn's rings, which are currently tilted at 4 degrees from our point of view here on Earth. Saturn's largest moon Titan also can be seen in a small telescope. Saturn is currently positioned well for observing, because objects high overhead are viewed through less layers of atmosphere than those found closer to the horizon.

During the first two weeks of May, Mercury lies low on the western horizon immediately after sunset just to the right of the lovely seven sisters, otherwise knows as the Pleides. Seeing this illusive little planet will require patience and a clear western horizon. A pair of binoculars wouldn't hurt either. During the second half of May, Mercury becomes lost in the Sun's glare.

The other three naked-eye planets grace the morning sky before dawn. First to rise is mighty Jupiter which lies high in the southeast about an hour before sunrise. Jupiter is the second brightest planet and easily outshines all other stars in the area. A small telescope will reveal cloud bands and Jupiter's four largest moons discovered by Galileo in the 1600's. Look for a close conjunction with Jupiter and the moon on the morning of May 17.

To the lower left of Jupiter and in the east is brilliant Venus, the brightest planet and third brightest object in the sky. You should have no trouble finding this bright beacon hanging above the eastern horizon. And just below Venus is much fainter, red Mars. A thumbnail crescent moon will form a triangle with the planetary pair on the morning of May 21, creating quite a stunning sight.

And now its time for Mr. Brad's monthly astronomy tip.

If you think you might be interested in pursuing astronomy as a hobby but aren't sure, I recommend beginning with a pair of binoculars. If your interest grows, you can invest in a telescope later. Less than fifty dollars will buy a pair of binoculars suitable for astronomy. I recommend a pair of 7 x 35, 7 x 50, or 10 x50 binoculars. Don't buy the compact models. They don't work as well because they don't gather enough light for good viewing. Many wannabe astronomers begin with a telescope and when they lose interest in the hobby, their telescope ends up in a closet or attic collecting dust. But a pair of binoculars can be used for many other activities, such as camping, hiking, hunting, sporting events, spying on the neighbors okay not spying on the neighbors, but you get the idea. Lots of people already own binoculars, but haven't thought of turning them toward the sky. Try it you'll be delighted! And that's my monthly tip!

Until next time, Happy Stargazing!

Brad

Space Food

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:57:00 -0400

Hello, it's me Demetree Gaines. In the month of June I will host a Space Food Teachers Workshop here at the Cosmosphere. Space Food is a really interesting subject. Like so many other space subjects it can traverse to other focuses that are just as interesting as the main subject. We all know about how astronauts have to exercise in space yet we don't know all the reasons for that. We know that the environment of space affects our bodies differently than the Earth does, but what are those effects? What works different? Are there things that don't work at all? All of these questions can be investigated and answered in the space food workshop alone. One of the more cool subjects that will be discussed is NASA food spin offs'. What have been the contributions of the NASA food research that have affected our everyday life? All these questions and more will be answered in the new teacher work shop Space Food.

Mr. Brad's Astrono-Blog

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:21:00 -0400

Greetings. My name is Brad Nuest and I am the newest addition to the Cosmosphere educators. I've been a space fanatic for a long time, so I am pleased to be working at the Cosmosphere - the Mecca of all things space in the heart of America.

Although I love space exploration, my chief interest is astronomy. The seeds of my passion were planted in sixth grade science class by a teacher who was himself an amateur astronomer. He taught an in-depth unit on the subject, and even invited us out one evening for a peek through his reflecting telescope. I will never forget my first view of Saturn with its gorgeous rings. I had seen Saturn in pictures numerous times, but seeing it with my own eyes was quite surreal. It was as if someone had placed a little Saturn sticker on the main lens of the telescope, and that is what I was seeing. In fact, when I show people Saturn today, that is a comment I often hear. "Are sure that's really Saturn and not just a sticker?" Yep it's really Saturn - honest.

Sixth grade astronomy class left me hooked on the subject. Before that unit, I couldn't even find the Big Dipper, but within six months I could pick out all of the major constellations. Here's to you, Mr. Moore, wherever you are! Teachers really do make a difference.

Since then, astronomy has remained a large part of my life. At times, it has taken a back seat to some of my other interests, but I never fail to look up when I'm outside at night, often tripping and walking into things due to not watching where I am going.

Okay enough about me already. What's going on in the sky this month?

Venus is brilliant in the west, easliy outshining all of the stars. It is quickly sinking toward the western horizon every evening this month. The gap between Venus and Earth is steadily closing and our nearest neighbor will soon be at its closest approach with Earth. Because of this, the size of Venus is fairly large in a telescope, and interestingly it appears as a thin crescent. Venus goes through phases like the moon because its orbit is inside our own. Because of this, we are always looking at some of the sunlit side and some of the dark side.

Yellow Saturn will be under the hind end of Leo the Lion and rises in the east around sunset. The rings are currently close to edge on, but will open up slightly as the month progresses, making them ever-so-slightly visible in a telescope. By September the rings will be exactly edge-on as we see them from Earth, causing them to virtually disappear in a telescope.

Jupiter and Mars, rise in the east right before sunrise. If you are an early riser, see if you can catch them in the early morning twilight. Jupiter is very bright and rises before ruddy Mars which will be lower and to the left of Jupiter.

Mercury is all but lost in the morning twilight.

This year is the International Year of Astronomy, celebrating 400 years of the telescope, so be on the lookout for opportunities to stargaze with the Cosmosphere throughout the rest of this year.

Until next time. Happy stargazing!

Brad

Cosmic Collisions or Random Thoughts from Joel

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:33:00 -0400

The holidays have come and gone and now it is time to get back to work and blogging! I sincerely hope that you all enjoyed the holiday season and I would like to thank all of you who made the trip to the Cosmosphere during the Holidays. I saw an old high school classmate who made the trip and she and her family thoroughly enjoyed it. Hi Heidi! What does the new year have in store for the Cosmosphere Education team? That is a wonderful question and I am glad that you asked. We now have the tools, as Howie pointed out, to reach out to you wherever you are. Please get in touch with us if you are interested in helping us refine this new outreach medium (for us). We would be happy to set up a Skype session with your class on one of the following subjects: Rocketry (two fifteen minute lessons), Living in Space: Human Physiology and the effects of microgravity (two twenty minute lessons), Moon, Mars and Beyond Overview (20 minutes) or Backyard astronomy (2 fifteen minute lessons). Each Skype session will come with pre and post outreach activities and we will begin scheduling virtual outreach from the Cosmoverse in mid February. Contact Howie George (howieg@cosmo.org) or me/Joel Walker (joelw@cosmo.org) to set up your classroom session soon. Many of our classrooms are undergoing major facelifts as well. From new graphics to new AV to a brand new Space Station experience, the Cosmosphere's education spaces are moving up. We will even be unveiling a new public show in our Discovery Classroom entitled Living in Space soon. Look for new things to do at the Cos. All of this is thanks to funds from the Patty Carey Memorial Education Fund. We continue to honor Patty whenever and wherever we can. Speaking of Patty, come see the original star ball that she used in the Hutchinson Planetarium. We just brought it back from Kismet, KS and have it on display. Eventually it will be part of a permanent display on Patty Carey and her role in shaping the Cosmosphere today. There is so many new and exciting things going on here that I could write forever, but I am sure that you don't want to read me ramble on and on. Just be on the lookout for Howie, Demetree or I appearing in a video near you (selfless promotion...I love it!)

Blogosphere from the Cosmoverse

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:04:00 -0400

Hello out there in the Cosmoverse! Hope you all had wonderful holidays, as did I. I have fantastic news for you! The education department got a couple "Flip" video cameras today to help us get started bringing the "Virtual Cosmosphere" out to you via "podcasting" and "teacher tube" to mention a couple ways. We decided to do some cool podcast demos to start with things like: "How to crush a can with air pressure" and "How to use the bathroom in space". Once we get a few of those out there, we are planning to give you the entire "Hall of Space Museum" all via the Cosmoverse. Cool, huh? We also got a couple webcams to start "skyping" with you. If you have a classroom with kids full of questions that we can help answer, let us know and we will set up a time to talk to them live "in person" via the Cosmoverse... even cooler stuff. You may be thinking that if we do all that, you won't ever have to come to the Cosmosphere. Well, let me ask you a question. If I showed you a picture of a beach with white sand and blue water, would you be happy? Or, would you rather be on the beach experiencing it for yourself? Same thing goes for a moon rock picked up by Neil & Buzz. How about Liberty Bell 7, Gemini X, Apollo 13? The real things, all right here at the Cosmosphere and so much more. Pictures or in person?...your choice, but like the beach...there's nothing like being there. One way or the other, via blog, via skype, a podcast, or my favorite- in person, I'll see you soon! Until next time, Howie G Skype: cosmohowieg

Blogosphere from the Cosmoverse

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:58:00 -0400

Hello Cosmoverse, it's Howie G again! It's Christmas Eve as I share my thoughts. The first thought I have today is that, "dang, I'm old". I say that because my son is celebrating his 27th birthday today. The kid (?) is pretty smart (you know the apple doesn't fall...). He took the advice I gave him at least once. When he started school, the kids got to start using these crazy things they called Apple computers. He got in on the ground floor and it was normal stuff for him. Over the years he learned both platforms & became very adept at using them. One Christmas, we got the kids (son & daughter) this hot new thing called Nintendo. We had to pry their fingers (mostly his) off of the controllers. Then it was Nintendo 64 & Super Nintendo as I recall. He was glued to that stuff. We did take time away to be involved in Boy Scouts together, so we did get out of the house once in a while & I'm still very proud of my Eagle Scout. He and a couple of his buddies started a computer consulting/building company before they finished high school. They held their own, didn't make millionaires of themselves, but did okay. After high school, it seemed he just sat around in front of the dang computer, played games & did nothing for a year. One day he announced he wanted to go to a specialized college in Florida. Well son, why there and for what? "Computer game design" was the reply. "Huh?" was mine. Long story short, he went & graduated in the top of the class & now makes computer games for a living out in L.A. He plays games for a living & gets paid to do it!!! The advice I gave him? "Find something you like to do and then find a way to make money at it". Good for you son. I even took my own advice & gave up lots of vacation time & money at the place I put in 27 years at to come to work for The Cosmosphere. I get to blow things up, light things on fire, play with all kinds of cool toys, go to fascinating places and hopefully all while inspiring young people. I even get paid to do it! Happiness is way more important than lots of things at my age. I wish you all out there in the Cosmoverse the Happiest Christmas & the Happiest New Year ever! Done rambling for now except to say- Happy Birthday Travis! - Love Dad.