When I was a little girl I saw a man walk on the moon. I still remember that grainy black and white film that showed Neil Armstrong taking that small step for man and giant leap for mankind. That was July 20, 1969. Men landing on the moon for the first time ever was one of the goals of NASA’s Apollo program.
Tomorrow morning, August 29, 2022 you have a chance to see the first launch in America’s second reach for the moon when the first of the Artemis missions sends an uncrewed spacecraft into the sky. By 2025 they are planning to put another set of American astronauts on the moon.
We can all watch it together live on Twitch starting at 6:30 EDT. Maybe we’ll get our moon base someday after all. EDIT: August 29 launch attempt was scrubbed. Next launch is September 3rd. Check the NASA website for more information.
In honor of Artemis being the sister of Apollo I’m going to list books that are all about the ladies and the theme of the moon and space exploration. (Yes, technically Diana is the Roman equivalent and Artemis is Greek which makes her brother, Phoebus, not Apollo, but Artemis sounds better, so let’s cross those Greek and Roman streams and go with it.)
Fiction:
The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal and it’s sequel, The Fated Sky.
Nonfiction:
The Women of the Moon: Tales of Science, Love, Sorrow, and Courage by Daniel Altshuler & Fernando Ballesteros.
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
