Before the Moon Blog
Exploring the past, present, and future of space.
Category: STEM Education
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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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When people think about the space program, they imagine rockets, astronauts, and launchpads in Florida or Texas. What they rarely picture is a chemical engineering laboratory in eastern Pennsylvania, where fundamental questions about materials, gravity, and matter were being asked decades ago. Yet that is exactly where Mohamed S. El-Aasser built a career that quietly…
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One Small Step… for a Camera? When Neil Armstrong descended the ladder of the Lunar Module and made that legendary first step on the Moon, millions of people watched it live on television. The image of Armstrong’s boot touching lunar dust is one of the most iconic in human history. But few people ever ask:…
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When State Representative Brian Munroe talks about Warminster, it’s not just as a legislator – it’s as someone who feels deeply connected to the community’s past, present, and future. Representing Pennsylvania’s 144th District, which includes Warminster, Warrington, Ivyland, and parts of New Britain Township, Munroe has seen firsthand how small towns can leave an outsized…
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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…
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It started with a countdown. Ten, nine, eight… a group of kids huddled behind a yellow safety line, eyes locked on the slender rocket balanced on its red launcher. The button was pressed, and in a burst of smoke and speed, the rocket shot into the blue August sky. Cheers erupted. For a moment, every…
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This post is from an informal pre-interview done with filmmaker Jason Sherman in preparation for an in person formal interview with NASA Astronaut Terry J. Hart for his upcoming film Before the Moon. When Terry Hart appears on screen, he doesn’t command attention with volume – but with clarity. Calm, precise, and humble to a…