ORLANDO, Fla., July 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Fifty years
ago next week, a Saturn V rocket launched the Apollo 11 and the
world was never the same. To mark the momentous occasion that led
to man's first steps on the moon, the Apollo 50th Gala
will take place on July 16 at the
iconic Apollo/Saturn V Center at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor
Complex.
Most of us remember the names of Neil
Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, but it took a huge team of
400,000 to make Apollo 11 a success. A special panel presentation
will take place during the gala to bring more of the team back
together to reconnect, reminisce and reflect on the teamwork that
got man on the Moon. Cisco Systems, Inc. will use its Cisco Webex
technology to maximize the breadth and depth of the panel.
And thanks to Webex, you, too, can watch the reunion live. Go to
cisco.com starting at 8:45 pm eastern
time July 16. You can also
watch it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube at
that time.
Webex will connect the following astronauts, mission control
personnel, satellite trackers and recovery specialists:
Apollo astronauts at the Kennedy Space Center.
More than 500 guests will attend the gala celebration. The
following Apollo legends are currently slated to appear at the gala
and will be connected to Australia
and the USS Hornet via Cisco Webex:
- Mike Collins, Apollo 11
astronaut. His second spaceflight was as the Command Module
Pilot for Apollo 11. While he stayed in orbit around the Moon,
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin left
in the Apollo Lunar Module to make the first crewed landing on its
surface.
- Charles Duke, Apollo 16
astronaut. As Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo 16 in 1972, he
became the tenth and youngest person to walk on the Moon. Duke has
logged 4,147 hours flying time, which includes 3,632 hours in jet
aircraft and 265 hours in space, plus 20 hours and 15 minutes of
extravehicular activity. He is currently chairman of the board of
directors of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
- Rusty Schweickart, Apollo 9
astronaut. Schweickart was the Lunar Module Pilot on the 1969
Apollo 9 mission, the first manned flight test of the lunar module,
on which he performed the first in-space test of the portable life
support system used by the Apollo astronauts who walked on the
Moon.
- Gerry Griffin, Apollo flight
director. Griffin was a Flight Director in Mission Control and
served in this capacity for all Apollo manned missions. He was Lead
Flight Director for three lunar landing missions: Apollo's 12, 15
and 17. During the flight of Apollo 13, Griffin was scheduled to
lead the lunar landing team in Mission Control. When the landing
was canceled after the oxygen tank explosion, he led one of the
teams of flight controllers who were responsible for the safe
return of the astronauts.
Satellite Trackers in Canberra
Australia.
To ensure NASA could still communicate with the Apollo crew as the
Earth rotated, it needed three radio telescopes in different parts
of the world. One of these was in Australia, and the team there is most famous
for being the ones who received and relayed to the world the first
historic TV images of astronaut Neil
Armstrong setting foot on the Moon on July 20, 1969. The team of "trackers" there went
to great lengths to get that signal – battling extremely
challenging local storms to save the day.
The following members of the 1969 Australian crew are slated to
appear at the gala via Webex:
- John Saxon. John
supported all the Apollo missions at the main Operations Console
and had the unique experience of talking to astronauts John Young and Charles
Duke on the lunar surface during Apollo 16.
- Mike Dinn. As deputy
director, Dinn was actively involved in Apollo missions 7 through
14.
- Hamish Lindsay. Author
of Tracking Apollo to the Moon, Lindsay specialized in timing,
voice communications and ranging during the Mercury, Gemini and
Apollo missions.
Recovery specialists aboard the USS Hornet in San Francisco
Bay.
The USS Hornet recovered the Apollo 11
astronauts from the Pacific Ocean after their splashdown on
July 24, 1969.
The following members of the USS Hornet recovery crew are slated
to appear at the gala via Webex:
- John McLachlan, Underwater
Demolition Team (UDT) swimmer. McLachlan participated as a swim
team member in the splashdown recoveries of the Apollo 8 and Apollo
11 missions. For the Apollo 11 recovery, McLachlan's helicopter and
UDT team was the first unit on the scene of the bobbing spacecraft,
which was in a stable-2 position (upside down). His team closely
monitored the righting situation to ensure everything went well and
was prepared to jump into the water if problems arose. His team
then provided lifeguard duties as back up to the eventual astronaut
recovery team.
- Larry Silva, USS
Hornet Sailor. During the Apollo 11 recovery Silva was
selected for special duty with the ABC news camera crew on the
flight deck. He was able to watch the arrival and departure of
President Nixon's helicopter, as well as the astronaut and
spacecraft recovery procedures from that vantage point.
- Sergeant Joe Holt, USS
Hornet Marine. Sergeant Holt
provided security for President Richard
Nixon while he was onboard for the splashdown event. This
included securing the flight deck for the helicopter arrival and
departure of the President and his entourage. Holt was later part
of the detail that provided security for the Apollo 11 spacecraft
and astronauts during the voyage to Pearl
Harbor.
"Fifty years ago, this massive team collaborated against
enormous odds to realize one of the greatest achievements in human
history. There was no internet. No mobile devices. No personal
computers," said Aruna Ravichandran,
Cisco's vice president of marketing for collaboration. "With
the incredible tools we have available today—including Webex—the
sky is truly the limit."
The Apollo 50th Gala will be hosted on the date that
Apollo 11 launched from Cape Canaveral,
Florida in 1969. Hundreds of guests will attend the
celebration, which will feature a panel discussion with space
legends of Apollo, live and silent auctions with one-of-a-kind
space memorabilia, and awards to recognize individuals who are
pioneering space and molding the next-generation workforce. All
proceeds raised from the event will benefit the Aldrin Family
Foundation and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
Additional Resources
Read Aruna Ravichandran's blog about
this event here.
About Cisco Systems, Inc.
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the
worldwide technology leader that has been making the Internet work
since 1984. Our people, products, and partners help society
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Discover more at newsroom.cisco.com and follow us on Twitter at
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Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks
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About the Aldrin Family Foundation
The Aldrin Family
Foundation (AFF) strives to cultivate the next generation of space
leaders, entrepreneurs and explorers who will extend human
habitation beyond the Earth to the Moon and Mars. AFF's STEAM-based
educational tools, curriculum and programs span from a child's
first classroom experience through graduate school and professional
programs. This vertical pathway unites explorers at all levels to
learn from each other's vision for space, ultimately creating the
first generation of Martians. For more information, visit
www.aldrinfoundation.org.
About the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation
The
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit
organization that provides annually more than 50 scholarships to
the brightest and most talented college students in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics. It was formed in 1984 by
heroes from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle
programs. Their goal was simple – to use their experience and
credibility to encourage student pursuit of advanced education and
scientific endeavors to keep America on the leading edge of
technology. Today, these heroes, along with top industry leaders,
educational institutions and individuals, have joined the cause.
ASF Scholars not only honor the legacy of America's pioneering
astronauts, but continue their passion for knowledge, discovery and
progress in multiple industries. For more information, visit
www.astronautscholarship.org.
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