Before the Moon Blog
Exploring the past, present, and future of space.
Category: Astronaut Training
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When Jerry Ross launched aboard the Space Shuttle for the first time, he was not just fulfilling a childhood dream. He was stepping into a role that would make him one of NASA’s most accomplished astronauts. With seven spaceflights, Ross remains the joint record holder for the most missions in human history. His hands built…
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In the early 1950s, inside a restricted Cold War research facility in Warminster, Pennsylvania, a young biophysicist began work that would quietly reshape aviation safety and aerospace medicine. Her name was Alice Stoll. She did not arrive as a test subject, a novelty, or a symbol. She arrived as a scientist, recruited for her expertise…
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Before Silicon Valley became synonymous with American innovation, there was a different kind of creative energy radiating from a quiet base in Warminster, Pennsylvania. Inside its hangars and labs, engineers, scientists, and technicians were redefining the limits of aviation, communication, and computing. One of them was Doug Crompton—a radio engineer, inventor, and ham radio enthusiast…
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When Blue Origin revealed the six person crew of its upcoming New Shepard NS 37 mission, one name immediately stood out for those of us who have been documenting the rise of commercial spaceflight: Jason Stansell. A computer scientist from West Texas, a lifelong space enthusiast, and now a private astronaut preparing to fly above…
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In June 1964, a young engineer named Gary Wayne Johnson packed his wife, their belongings, and their dreams into a VW Bug and drove to Houston. “That was about all we owned,” he laughed. “I’d just graduated from Oklahoma State. I changed my major from chemical to electrical engineering because I wanted to work in…
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In the quiet heart of Warminster, Pennsylvania, beneath the shadow of shopping centers and suburban streets, lies a history that once helped power the Space Race. Eleanor O’Rangers, President of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Cold War Historical Society, has dedicated her career to uncovering it. “Most people think of Bucks County as the birthplace of America,”…
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When John Herrington floated out of the Space Shuttle Endeavour in November 2002, he carried more than tools and tether lines. He carried a story—a legacy. As the first Native American in space, Herrington’s mission wasn’t just about walking in the void. It was about representing an entire community that had never seen itself reflected…
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Few figures in NASA’s history embody the courage, discipline, and leadership of America’s space age like Gene Kranz—the legendary Apollo Flight Director whose white vest became a symbol of cool resolve under pressure. From the Mercury missions to Apollo 13, Kranz didn’t just manage flights; he built the culture that made them possible. When I…
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Long before the roar of the Shuttle’s engines filled the Texas sky, a young boy in Mississippi was standing on a dirt road, staring up at a moving star. “It was one of the early NASA satellites,” Stokes McMillan recalled. “I watched it glide across the sky, silent and bright. From that moment on, I…
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Walking through the old Rockwell plant in Downey, California—home of the Apollo capsules, Space Shuttle orbiters, and parts of the International Space Station—was like stepping into a living museum. For Kirsten Armstrong, it was also the launchpad of a career that would put her at the forefront of space policy and strategy. Today, as President…