posted 05-28-2006 03:42 AM               

I grew up mostly in south Florida, and my earliest space flight memory is as a 4 1/2 year-old watching the Apollo 11 moon landing. I continued to follow the space program through the years, spent a lot of time building model airplanes and flying model rockets as a kid, and attended the University of Florida under an AF ROTC scholarship.

Once I departed UF with a BS in Aerospace Engineering, it was on to Undergraduate Pilot Training at Williams AFB AZ, where I flew the T-37 and T-38 and had a great time. My next assignment was flying the C-141 Starlifter at Norton AFB CA, then C-12 (Beechcraft KingAir) and C-21 (Learjet) aircraft at Ramstein AB GM.

One of the more interesting missions we flew in Germany was in support of the TAL (Transoceanic Abort Landing) sites for the space shuttle in The Gambia, Morocco, and Spain. In the event of an emergency during shuttle launch (after the SRB's burn out), the first choice is called RTLS, or Return to Launch Site, where the shuttle turns around and lands back at Kennedy Space Center. If the shuttle is too far down range to have the energy to return to the Cape (and does not have enough thrust to limp into orbit), then the TAL site would be used.

If it is a high-inclination launch, then the TAL sites in Spain would be active (Moron AB and Zaragoza AB). If it is a low-inclination launch, then the TAL sites in Morocco and The Gambia would be used.

So, for each launch, we would send an airplane (initially a C-12, and once we got rid of the C-12's we started using C-21's) to the primary TAL site about a week prior to the launch. There we would meet up with the NASA team including someone from the astronaut office -- we flew several flights prior to launch day to check out navigational aids, lighting, and weather to ensure TAL would be available if needed.

On launch day, we would be airborne several hours ahead of launch time to check the weather, lighting, and NAVAIDs once more, and we would stay airborne until after the shuttle passed the point where it would be able to limp into orbit for a once-around in the event of a SME failure rather than going to the TAL site.

For each of our flights, we flew around the field for a while to check everything out, and then we shot a number of shuttle-type approaches to the airfield to make sure everything looked ok. As a point of reference, a normal instrument approach to an airfield follows a 3 degree glide path -- a space shuttle aapproach follows an approximately 18-20 degree glidepath, depending upon fuel remaining onboard at the time. We devised a "shuttle approach" checklist for the C-12 and the C-21 to give us enough drag to be able to fly the shuttle approach profile without overspeeding the aircraft. The main difference between our approach and an actual shuttle approach is (1) airspeed, since the shuttle flies its final approach at 300 knots, and (2) we had the option to go around!

On my 3 opportunities to go on TAL-support missions, I had the opportunity to fly with Scott Horowitz (STS-75, 82, 101, 105), Al Crews (X-20 DynaSoar and Manned Orbiting Laboratory astronaut), and Bill Readdy (STS-42, 51, 79). In each case, I was in command and they were in the right seat (with the radio to talk to KSC Launch Control). For STS-61 with Doc Horowitz (TAL site in The Gambia), we had enough time off for me to set up a fishing expedition on the Gambia River -- Doc came along, and we all caught fish which we ended up giving to the tour operator. Quite a fun time, though!

I am just about to complete a 4-month deployment to Iraq, and I'm looking forward to getting back home to fly the C-5 again. I have 4100+ hours total flying time.

My collection is quite modest compared to many of you. I have crew-signed covers (launch, landing, or recovery dated) for every Mercury mission and every Apollo mission (except Apollo 1). My Apollo 11 cover is an Insurance Cover -- undoubtedly my best purchase ever.

I apologize for the length of the post, but I thought an explanation of the TAL site process might be of interest to some.

posted 05-28-2006 08:57 PM               

I shoot and edit video for Marshall TV at the Marshall Space Flight Center. I may interview a scientist in his lab, edit a historical video about Skylab or von Braun or travel to various locations to document either a test or a hardware move. I have been lucky enough to interview many astronauts including Wally Schirra and 6 moonwalkers (but not Neil Armstrong... yet!)

After interviewing any astronaut or other NASA historical figure, I will ask them if they would be willing to sign a very special photo I have of a Saturn V liftoff... so far the only refusal came from John Young.

My wife and I have been married for 11 years and I have 2 boys, 7 and 5.

I received my B.S. in Telecommunications from the University of Florida... GO GATORS!

posted 05-29-2006 12:30 AM               

I work for an international commercial real estate management, leasing and investment sales firm as a credit manager. I've spent the last 30 yrs. in real estate and related fields, but I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up!

Fortunately, I remember the Gemini & Apollo programs. Remember exactly what I was doing on 7/20/69 - 13 yrs. old and glued in front of the TV. You younger folks will really have the thrill of your lives when the lunar flights resume again - it'll make the space station and low earth orbit about as exciting as old fish.

Used to be the family's big space expert back then, built all kinds of space models, had all kinds of NASA photos and started collecting space patches. Kind of got away from space model building and about 10 yrs. ago got into writing some short stories about human space programs of the 21st century and drawing space crew emblems to go along with the stories. Even have been having the designs made into personalized patches, one of which was the subject of a collectSPACE thread earlier this year. I've got a web site which showcases some of my designs. Meanwhile, I've drawn many other designs not on the site. Some of the others include mission emblem designs for a lunar orbiting space station, permanent lunar bases, missions to Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Alpha Centauri, and others. This allows my imagination to wander into the future "out there".

posted 05-29-2006 10:19 PM               

Plus I restore antique furniture and lighting...

I developed the capacity to plug stuff in and not set my hair on fire, so I drifted into repairing copiers, then laser printers (pretty much the same thing) and finally, when I got tired of getting filthy at work) computers.

Back in the Old Days, though, I was a Hippie par excellence. Not a beads and flowers hippie, and I never used the word "groovy" to do anything but describe corduroy pants, but one of those wise-guy hippies.

I've driven cabs and trucks while I was in college in Boston, and also did hotel audits. From time to time a trucking company has called me to do some driving, and I love it. I was a rcord store manager for a few years too.

I had this parade of occupations because I got my degree in Folklore And Mythology. Honest. Try getting a job in THAT field, especially if you have a low tolerance for Dweebs...

posted 05-31-2006 01:57 AM               

I'm a bad poster but a regular collectSPACE reader, specially because my English knowledge isn't good.

I'm employed by a government department in an administrative work, but the work I'd like is the one Deke Slayton had. I'd really like to name crews and select astronaut (cosmonaut) candidates. So I'm specially interested in manned spaceflight.

I became interested in the Space Program when I was 8 years old with Apollo 11 and a book my uncle gave to me.

I only met one astronaut (the best): Pedro Duque, a self-made man with very high skills, and very good people.

My collection is resumed to books, much of them published in English, (Spain is a "desert" in space related themes), some toys and Pedro's autograph.

posted 05-31-2006 04:43 PM               

My hobby is collecting the autographed crew photos of the crew (shuttle) and have been following the shuttle since 1981 and my hero is John Young, which I've never met him but hopefully in one day I would like to meet John Young.

posted 12-22-2006 03:40 PM            

Watching the Saturn V launches and men on the moon when I was a kid got me started.

posted 12-22-2006 10:54 PM               

I used to work as a film editor. The joke is that you only work a half day - twelve hours. So after a decade of editing independent film and some television in a dark room, I decided it might be nice to stand up and look out a window for a change and now I design the kinds of edit facilities I used to work in.

As of late I'm excited to say that I will have a space-related book coming out around 2009. 'Ambassadors from Earth' focuses on the pioneering flights of unmanned spacecraft from Explorer I to Voyager. It's been a real treat to work on.

I have been married for 14 years and have two elementary-school boys. We enjoy family bike rides, running, camping, cross-country skiing, orienteering together.

Many folks seem to be from Britain. Proud to say I own and drive one of their fine Lotus Esprit cars. If anyone's ever in Minneapolis - during fair weather - please look me up; we'll go for a nice drive with the Lotus Club and talk about space stuff!

posted 12-23-2006 05:37 AM               

Glad to see this post return. For what it's worth...

I'm Tim, 50 and married to a very understanding woman for 28 years (next month). We have a beautiful 24 year old daughter (would a father say anything else) and a soon to be son-in-law that we love like a son.

Like my friend Bill C. my family doesn't share my passion for space exploration but does support mine. In fact my wife jokes that astronauts don't have my level of passion about the space program. She also muses that had America not taken a break in manned flights between 1975 and 1981 we may never have met and gotten married.

I grew up in Connecticut but moved my family to Titusville, FL in 1991. I'm a shipping and receiving manager for an aerospace metals company and besides space collecting I like to create art (paintings, portraits and graphic art. You all may have seen a couple of patches I was involved in. LOL

My other passion is helping to inspire children through the Young Astronaut Program. I've been a volunteer for over 20 years. I dropped out of college when I fell in love. While I don't regret falling in love , I do regret cutting short my formal education. That's probably another reason why I'm into YA.

I've had the great pleasure of meeting many of my astronaut heroes and if I don't have an autograph to show for it I usually have a photograph of us together.

I've been incredibly impressed with the folks I've met on cS and join in the chorus of gratitude to Robert for his creation.

I"ve had the pleasure of meeting some cS'ers when they've come to KSC for events and look forward to meeting more of you. Ad Astra

posted 12-26-2006 06:54 PM               

I've been interested in aircraft, spacecraft and such as long as I can really remember, and I've built models of them since I was really young. I came of consciousness while the Shuttle program was getting started, and very vividly remember the early flights of the Shuttle. I sort of lost track until the Challenger accident, then my interest returned with a vengeance, and has been steady ever since. I'm lucky to be married to a guy who shares (and encourages!) my interests.

Most of my collecting has been through sales or via mail. The only space traveler I've met in person is fellow South Carolinian Charles Bolden (and I also had the privilege of spending a couple of hours with his mother for an assignment in graduate school... she was a dear, sweet lady). I have been able to add a few items through other sources, including a couple of flown items from beloved old Columbia, and a signed photo of Eileen Collins that I absolutely cherish.

I enjoy checking in over here at cS when I can -- I don't get to contribute much, but I learn an awful lot by hanging out here. Thanks!

posted 12-26-2006 09:12 PM               

I do sports illustration and freelance artwork on the side and am currently going back to school for my 2nd masters degree in school administration. I need a principals paycheck to handle my hobby.

posted 12-28-2006 07:40 AM               

My interest in spacefligh started 8-7 years ago with a book about space. I'm happy to have made it to JSC and KSC and also to see the launch of STS-100 as a VIP Guest. First I started to collect space related books but since 2004 (UACC Show in Burbank) I also collect astronaut autographs.

Other hobbies are sea kayaking, climbing, diving, skiing, reading, travelling (favorits so far: USA, Canada, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Norway & Sweden).

Another interest and hobbie is the exploration of the Arctic and Antarctica... I just love places with snow.

posted 12-28-2006 11:46 AM            

I did my internship at AOPA HQ in Maryland, where I worked in the Aviation Services dept, and I was on the (very small) team that launched the AOPA website.

I currently work as a senior IT drone in Cocoa Beach, FL at the biggest tourist trap in town (that should be easy to figure out!) and live just a few miles inland. Been married for almost 7 years to a college professor, who happens to be the smartest, most intelligent and driven woman I've ever met (rocket scientists included). We have 3 daughters (5, 3, and 8 months), and all the women in the house barely tolerate my obsession with the space program.

posted 12-28-2006 03:04 PM               

As an electronic engineer, I have been fascinated, as long as I can remember by science, technology, space research and especially the conquest of the Moon.

I was a 2 year old boy at the time of Apollo 11 and don't remember of this great event. Fortunately, my father took a nice photograph of me sitting on my mother's lap, holding the newspaper regarding the greatest human adventure.

My youngest childhood souvenir belongs to Apollo 16. I remember my father telling me: "Americans are going to the Moon again today for the 2nd last time and we might be able to see the rocket on the way with my binoculars". We spent several moments at night looking up, towards the Moon. However, great disappointment, we didn't see anything except the Moon itself.

It might not have been by chance that the first ever Astronaut I met in person 32 years later was Charlie Duke.

The idea of collecting autographs crossed my mind very early when I was 14, seeing ain a book a wonderful autograph of the French mathematician Rene Descartes. Then I declared, I'll be collecting autographs someday.

Living in the countryside of Switzerland, it was impossible for me to find any of the astronauts addresses.

Fortunately, all this changed with internet and my autograph desire has been focused on scientists and astronauts. I consider myself as being an avid collector since 2000.

My passion for the hobby has grown ever since and I have been lucky in meeting Astronauts, Cosmonauts and some new good friends.

By becoming a new collectSPACE member, I hope to join the family of collectors around the world.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families, a Merry Christmas as well as a healthy and successful New Year.

Happy collecting and warmest regards to you all.

posted 12-28-2006 10:34 PM               

I'm also trying to collect some space stuff like space gloves and Code 3 collectables and some space hardware and the GI Joe astronauts and of course Buzz Alderin doll for sale on Cs which really looks great and detailled!

I like this forum a lot and have the greatest respect for Robert keeping up with all the space stuff that's going on these days. If I was any younger I probably signed up for manned mars flight!

I was at KSC in the 70's and at that time you still could walk around and take pictures... Hope to go back next year or so to see a shuttle launch.

posted 12-29-2006 04:01 PM               

I grew up about 100 miles south of the cape, and weather permitting I was always out during launches and saw most every launch up through Apollo 12 before I left to join uncle Sam (well, I did not see Apollo 12-seems they launched into a storm, but you already know that story).

I recall several times seeing the sky full of beautiful reds, greens, and oranges only to find out the next day that another rocket had exploded. However, I didn't get into collecting space stuff until I moved from California to Houston and by luck found a website entitled collectSPACE.

Since then I've fulfilled one of my childhood dreams to meet some of the astronauts. Prior to this I didn't have much interest in the Shuttle (too busy with a career) but after meeting many of them over the past 4 years I have been just as impressed with them as the M-G-A guys.

posted 01-02-2007 08:48 AM               

Age is unimportant but I am married with two adult kids and live in Virginia Water in Surrey, England. I own various business interests allowing me to indulge in this amazing sphere of interest.

My interest is 16"x20" images and I consider myself fortunate to have established a friendly rapport with most of the Gemini/Apollo astronauts.

posted 01-02-2007 12:07 PM               

In the 1990s after leaving Washington, DC, where I worked at CSIS, I got this boneheaded idea of helping my father, who had been a Mercury astronaut, write his autobiography. By then I had worked on perhaps 50 or 60 book manuscripts, shaping them, and getting them published, etc. How hard could it be, producing one from scratch?

The answer is: very hard indeed. But I had so much fun am thinking of doing the same thing all over again, this time with my mother's story! We never learn, I suppose.

posted 03-06-2007 05:13 AM               

Always looking for a bargain, authentic treasure - Armstrong, Grissom, and the rest, to leave to the kids one day.

posted 03-29-2007 07:04 PM               

Unlike all of you - I have walked on the Moon, well - at least Tom Hanks movie Moon!

I will explain that in a minute.

You see, I was fortunate enough to grow up in Long Beach, California during those early days of the 60's and if you weren't working on Apollo - you knew someone who did. Downey, Ca was the center of the Apollo world. All the astronauts came here. I thought for sure, we were all getting our chance to go out there. I even have a 1961 picture of me in a blue jump suit. I loved aviation and space and always will. Growing up I saw the Apollo drop tests in Downey, the mockups of the CSM, LM, and shuttle in the Design, Enginering, and integration room(or DEI), their construction in the huge white room in Bldg. 290, the centrifuge for Mars missions whirling round and round nearby and got to know the North American company employees.

I started writing the astronauts in 1965 - and they wrote back and sent me books and pictures. By High School the science teacher (who was the football coach) had me teach the class about space, and as luck would have it that flight was Apollo 13! When the first great space age ended my dreams of flying ended with them. But I always wanted to be involved with Public Affairs and didn't miss an Open House at the spaceship factory. I later was asked to run the family nights there in Downey. Every weekend would find me at the Surplus sales yard finding treasures.

I also loved Science Fiction and went to conventions and met like minded individuals, and we started our own space education awareness group with mock up suits and a lunar rover.

We also helped out at the local museum - the Ca. Museum of Science and industry, and helped design the latter aerospace museum. I stayed on there as an assistant curator for 18 years. I also worked in some favorite space films - such as Salvage One, Apollo 13, and HBO's "From the Earth to the Moon" - where I served as technical advisor for the series - and played the pencil tapping Grumman technician in the "Spider" episode. Our dear Rob Pearlman ran the website for the series.

I later worked for the Space Frontier Foundation (when they had a L.A. Office) on lunar conferences, and for a company that made space suits for the movies. I have been a contributor for Apogee books, and other space organizations.

Recently I conducted public affairs for an aerospace company in Mojave, but have returned to the old Downey plant once more (now a movie studio), to help a community group recall what was built there... and help assist future generations get their chance to go out into space!

I have a neat collection (yes - I did get to keep some of the props, too!) and hope that one day soon they will get a proper home.

posted 05-23-2007 01:15 PM               

I used to collect NASA stuff in the late 1970's and 1980's. Lots of autographed lithos from my collection have vanished over the years (I moved several times). I have been reading cS for several years now but I joined the forum just recently.

posted 05-23-2007 03:06 PM               

My other hobbies include collecting Ford Motor Co. memorabilia, collecting vintage cars and photography.

Other than that, not much else just work, home, work, home, etc.. You don't get rich, but I stay out of the poor house...

This is a very interesting thread!

posted 05-23-2007 04:33 PM               

In 1971, beeing 16 years old, I got my first pilot (glider) license. And you never believe it, but we flow with the orange USAF flight suits the first astronauts were wearing (I still have mine).

And in the mean time still collecting... and flying...

posted 05-25-2007 09:07 PM               

I'm Steve Wolfe, 48, married 24 years with a daughter attending college. I've got a BA from West Virginia University (I bleed blue and gold) and a Masters degree from Syracuse. In my first career, I worked in public finance and institutional investing, first on Wall Street for a few years and then with a large Baltimore-based mutual fund company. I "retired" from that career in 2001.

In 1999 I was elected to my local county Board of Supervisors in King George, VA (near Fredericksburg), and am finishing up my second term this year.

I got hooked on spaceflight at a very early age in the 1960's and never let loose. I wanted to be an astro, but a combination of bad eyesight, a lack of proficiency in math and science, and the fact that I got real tall real quick (I'm 6'5") put the stop to all that. About 20 years ago I finally compensated a little bit by getting my pilot's license.

While in elementary school I made an art of writing away to NASA for all of those wonderful freebies their legendary PR machine would crank out. For the price of a 6-cent stamp, you could literally get tons of great photos (genuine and autopenned autographs), mission booklets, and the like. Unbelievably, I still have probably 75% of the stuff I received as a kid, including a personalized Frank Boreman photo (business suit pose next to a white Titan model) that is framed, as well as a few Apollo crew items fromthe period.

My space collection includes a little over 500 items, about 60% of which are photos (including an Apollo crew signed NASA photo), but also includes used and unused Gemini heat shield samples, flown beta cloth patches, checklists, press and employee badges, and an extensive collection of Soviet mission pins and cosmonaut photo cards.

My collection also includes some off beat stuff like two Soviet pressure helmets with dozens of astro autos, a baseball bat with about 25 autos, and a few aastro autographed baseballs, one of which contains old-timer Hall of Fame baseball player auto obtained by an Apollo crew member who sold me his ball a few years ago.

I love models, and I have a number of Nick Proach models (most of which are also autograped), plus a 1/48th scale Nick Proach Saturn V and a 1/12th scale Mercury Redstone that Jeff Teel made for me last year that accomodates the Atomic City 1/12th model.

This year will be my 5th UACC show in a row, having attended my first on in DC in 2003, which I discovered quite by accident. I feel very fortunate to have had the honor of meeting many of my childhood idols through these shows, something I never once dreamed of being able to do.

Finally, a bit of explanation about my board nickname, which is actually the name of the "creek" that runs behind my house. I say "creek" because where I live it's almost a half mile wide and empties into the Potomac River about 2 miles downstream. I live only a few hundred yards from the path of John Wilkes Booth's escape route after he shot President Lincoln.

Sorry for the long-winded post!

posted 05-31-2007 10:29 AM               

My name is Steve Grissom. I am 33 years old and I teach at Mitchell Junior High School in Mitchell, Indiana. I have been interested in Early Manned Spaceflight basically all my life but recently became hooked in 1998.

posted 10-28-2007 04:14 PM               

From January 1966 thru June 1970 I worked on the Manned Space Flight Network Guam Apollo Tracking Station, and supported Apollo 6,7,8,9,10,11,12,and 13. I then transferred to the Corpus Christi Tx Tracking Station for Apollo 14.

After A14 the Space Program started slowing down and I took a job with Sperry Univac and travelled the country installing automated Air Traffic Control Systems in the larger U.S. airports for the FAA.

Eventually I went to work for the FAA and retired from there in 2000 as the Deputy Director of the Operational Support Service, which managed the hardware and software of the FAA Air Traffic Control System.

I'm a relative newbie to the collecting world, though I do have a modest and interesting collection of items that were awarded to me after the missions, plus a rather extensive collection of Time, Life, Newsweek, Look magazines and official NASA photos from that period. All of which have been in my possession through the years.

Before Apollo I served on a Destroyer in the U.S. Navy, crossed the Equator headed south for Rio De Janerio, and once spent a summer in all the great port cities in the Mediteranean.

I have a wonderful wife Angie, 2 grown daughters, 2 grand daughters, and am currently retired in Florida.

Since joining cS several months ago I've met some wonderfully interesting and enjoyable people, and have learned a great deal about the hobby and industry of collecting. cS is a great resource.