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 fault, Hart is the kind of astronaut who lets his résumé do the talking. Fighter pilot. Bell Labs engineer. NASA mission specialist. Satellite rescuer. IMAX cameraman. And now, professor.
Our Zoom session was meant to be a warm-up – a pre-interview to prepare for our upcoming formal shoot for Before The Moon. But within minutes, it became a masterclass in Cold War spaceflight, engineering discipline, and human grace under pressure.
Training for the Impossible
Terry J. Hart was selected by NASA in 1978, part of the astronaut class known as “Thirty-Five New Guys.” By then, he already had a degree from MIT, experience flying interceptors for the Air Force, and a technical track record at Bell Labs – including two patents.
What surprised us in the pre-interview wasn’t just his spaceflight stories – it was how seamlessly he connected them to life on the ground.
“I didn’t really think of myself as a test pilot,” he told us. “I was an engineer who loved to fly. And NASA needed both.”
STS-41C: The First Satellite Repair Mission
On April 6, 1984, Terry Hart launched aboard Challenger as part of STS-41C. The mission made history: it was the first time astronauts rendezvoused with a satellite, captured it using the Shuttle’s robot arm (which Hart operated), brought it aboard for repair, and redeployed it into orbit.
The satellite was the Solar Max. The arm was the Remote Manipulator System (RMS). And Hart had to “grab” a tumbling piece of hardware in microgravity using what was essentially a giant crane in space.
“It was the ultimate high-stakes docking maneuver,” he said. “We had one shot.”
They succeeded.
Space Lessons That Still Echo
In the pre-interview, Hart reflected not only on his technical experiences, but on the bigger picture.
On failure: “When you’re in space, you don’t have the luxury of not solving the problem.”
On teamwork: “Everything we did came back to trust – on the ground, in the air, in the simulator.”
On the future: “Artemis excites me. It’s the next test. And it’s going to take engineers, not just astronauts.”
A Life After Orbit
Hart went on to lead in satellite communications as president of Loral Skynet and now brings his experience full circle—as a professor of aerospace engineering at Lehigh University, his alma mater. But he’s not just teaching the past—he’s helping design the future.
Today, Hart plays an active role in mentoring the next generation through Lehigh’s new interdisciplinary Aerospace Engineering Master’s Program, which offers advanced coursework in propulsion, fluid mechanics, spacecraft systems, and control theory. It’s a program built to launch new innovators—and few people understand that mission better than someone who’s been there and back.
When we asked if he ever tires of talking about space, he smiled and shook his head.
“It’s not about reliving the mission. It’s about sharing what’s possible and teaching the next generation.”
We can’t wait to capture that spirit on camera for the film.
Support the Film
Help us tell the stories of space pioneers like Terry Hart.
• Visit BeforeTheMoonFilm.com
• Support the film through our donation page
• Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/BeforeTheMoonFilm
Because before we go forward… we need to remember who got us here.
Listen to the Podcast episode here:
Or Watch the Video here:
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