So he came back. Now, you have to realize that al shepard was the ultimate politician. Very well respected, first flight he did, so he talked nasa into giving him talked them into giving him the very next flight, which was apollo 13. After he started working 13 and i was getting my crew together for 14, i think that the nasa hierarchy had second thoughts. They said, look, al has been grounded for eight or nine years, and youre going to give him the very next flight . He only made a 15 minute suborbital flight . Lets get serious about this thing. So deke said, okay, ill slip him one. So one day when i was training for 14, deke came in and said, jim, how would you like to take 13 and well give shepard 14 . I was delighted. I said, yes. I mean, you know, i was backup on 11. And im all set to go. I mean, you know, i need the training, i need to know the experiments and things like that. But im ready. So thats how it came to pass. Can you put to bed or add to the story that one hears that y
It is a wonderful feeling to be back at launchpad 309a it was a difference this time. I want to turn and ask neil a question, or maybe tell buzz aldrin something. Of course, i am here by myself, but at any rate, i know they would enjoy joining into this sort of a conversation as much as i am looking forward to it. Robert did you find it different coming out for apollo 11 as compared to your gemini 10 mission . Michael the flights of gemini 10 and apollo 11 were quite different. We rode up on a rocket, so that part was similar, but the Gemini Program got a lot of publicity, some of it worldwide, but nonetheless it had more of a local character. It was almost like a celebrity, celebratory sort of event, like perhaps an athletic contest, whereas apollo 11, on the other hand, was serious business. We crew felt the weight of the world on our shoulders. We knew that everyone would be looking at us, friend or foe, and we wanted to do the best we possibly could, put our best foot forward, and
President richard nixon. And type in. Org apollo 11 into the search bar for more of our coverage. Cspan cities tour is exploring American Cities as we take our book tour on the road. Every month, we bring you the history and literary life of a different city. With the support of our spectrum cable partners, this weekend we travel to Traverse City, michigan, known as the cherry capital of the world. It is responsible for two thirds of the tart cherry production in the u. S. Over the next hour, we will learn about the citys past. We begin with the origins of the cherry industry in Traverse City. One of the things i think people really love about cherries is the taste. Couple that with the beautiful red color, it is a fruit that people fall in love with. It is a month before harvest on these cherries, so we are looking at cherries in various stages of development. These are all of the blossoms that are going to fall off, up here. It is what the cherry looks like in its Early Development s
Humans to set foot on the surface of the moon. What thoughts were going through your mind on the way out to the launchpad . Michael i came out on the launchpad today and robert can you hold the mic up . Michael sure. I came out today and settled into this comfortable chair. It is a wonderful feeling to be back at launch pad 39a. It was a difference this time. I want to turn and ask neil a question, or maybe tell buzz aldrin something. Of course, i am here by myself, but at any rate, i know they would enjoy joining into this sort of a conversation as much as i am looking forward to it. Robert did you find it different coming out for apollo 11 as compared to your gemini 10 mission . Michael the flights of gemini 10 and apollo 11 were quite different. We rode up on a rocket, so that part was similar, but the Gemini Program got a lot of publicity, some of it worldwide, but nonetheless it had more of a local character. It was almost like a celebrity, celebratory sort of event, like perhaps
life. that was a day in which we all congregated, officially, as the u.s. first astronaut group. we have been through a selection process, obviously, previous to that time. but that was the day we first showed up officially as the first astronauts of the united states, back at langley field, virginia. at langley. why langley, i wonder? well, of course, and i ca had become nasa and a great big hurried turnaround as you recall. the program of astronauts selection and training, basically, was run by the people who worked from langley. originally, of course, we all reported into washington. that was where the initiation, in the introduction, the pre selection, all that sort of routine went on. as you know, we had physicals elsewhere in the country. but once this election was made, of course, we reported to those people at langley field. which was kind of neat for me because i was already stationed in norfolk in a job which i didn t like in the first place. i was finally taken