In Astronauts on Parade, author Gene Marianetti documents an eyewitness account of this country's accomplishments in the Space Race, overcoming unbelievable odds to surpass the Soviet Union and land a man on the Moon within the time frame established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961.A member of the NASA Public Affairs team in Washington, D.C., Marianetti helped coordinate the highly successful campaign to sell the space program to the American public and the world—especially the Apollo program, Moon landings, and early Space Shuttle missions.
Marianetti's primary job was to get astronauts at the Manned Space Craft Center in Houston out of their space suits and on the road as salesman to help promote the program through public appearances, speeches, interviews and media exposure. At the same time, he worked to develop an agency-wide guest invitation plan to handle visitors and the general public for the upcoming Apollo launches at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Beginning with the "Week in the Barrel" program, non-flight astronauts began to hit the road and were filling requests for speakers across the country. Astronauts soon began appearing at luncheons, banquets and universities and colleges. The thrust of their remarks was to provide updates on the progress of returning to flight. Returning astronauts were welcomed by an adoring public and honored in tickertape parades, at the White House, and joint Congressional appearances six times in the first years of the space age.
During this time, astronauts were dispatched on Presidential goodwill trips and visited hundreds of countries and every U.S. state and many territories to share their spaceflight experiences throughout the Apollo years.
Marianetti worked with the astronauts of every Apollo mission, but has fond memories of working alongside Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins in planning Apollo 11 anniversary events beginning with the first on July 20, 1970 and every fifth year thereafter, including his last observance in 1989.
Released in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the first lunar landing, Astronauts On Parade presents a unique inside look at the Space Race and publicity campaign that ultimately helped finance the American space program for decades.
posted 08-25-2019 10:39 AM
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