[ Brief
Summary of the Book Review Presentation
by Dr. Krishna M. Gutala at ICC
Cupertino on 01 May 2015 of the book “ Neil Armstrong
- Young Flyer ” by Montrew
Dunham ]
If someone be born rich, we say
‘born with a silver-spoon in the mouth’ (or if richer, perhaps a ‘golden-spoon’). In case of Neil Armstrong, it can be aptly said:
‘born with an airplane in his mind!’, for his always thinking of planes and
flights, since infancy. Neil Armstrong was born on 05th August 1930
in Cleveland, and spent his infancy there. Right from childhood, he was deeply
interested in airplanes. This craze was actually genetic, as his father was
equally interested in them.
Neil’s father was Stephen Armstrong,
and mother Viola. Even when Neil was barely two years old, his father took him
to the National Air Show of airplane races in Cleveland Airport. That left a permanent impression on Neil’s
mind, and ever since then, he began to love airplanes.
Stephen Armstrong and some of his friends, were a group that did some
auditing type of work for the State of Ohio. Once in a few years, they were
moved to a different township. While in Cleveland, Stephen used to take young
Neil to the Airport often whenever he went. Subsequently, when Neil was of
about six years, the family moved to Warren (Ohio) on his father’s work. Warren
also had an Airport.
One Sunday, Neil’s father, addicted
to visiting Airports and seeing new types of airplanes, somehow came to know
that a new big three-engine plane, a Ford Tri-motor, called ‘Tin Goose’ came to
the Warren Airport. He learnt that it acquired that nickname as it was made of
a tin-like metal, and looked like a flying goose! Before leaving, he enquired Neil whether he
was interested in seeing it. Neil at once agreed to follow, being ever
interested in seeing planes. Stephen and Neil not only went to the Airport and
saw the big plane in detail, but also had the opportunity of a short flight in
it. That was young Neil’s first flight, a thrilling experience, as a boy of 6.
Apart from his avid interest in
planes, Neil was a voracious reader. Even while in grade one, he used to read
big books, one of them being that on Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur, who
lived in Dayton, Ohio. Apart from
running a cycle shop, they were also constructing man-carrying machines
(airplanes), and light-weight gasoline engines. Neil experienced thrill and joy
in learning that in 1903, Orville Wright successfully piloted the first flight
at Kitty Hawk in North Carolina, though it was just for a minute! He read thru
the entire big book with profound interest. His teacher felt that, though in
first grade, he was reading the third grade level books. Besides this, he was
earning good grades.
In summer vacation, the Armstrong
family went to Neil’s grandparent’s house at Wapakoneta, a nearby township in
Cleveland. It was a big farmhouse with a barn. Neil, his sister June, and
brother Dean, both younger to him, enjoyed their trip, and had good time there.
Neil and June had even pony-rides there. His grandma used to tell him many
stories. He also learned from her that his great-grandfather came over from
Germany at a young age of 18 itself (to avoid conscription there) to Ohio, and
settled there. Besides hearing stories, young Neil also enjoyed making toy
planes, by assembling from kits, and flying them.
After return from Wapakoneta,
Armstrong family had to move to a new place of work for Stephen. Neil had to join a new School, where he was
placed in 3rd grade instead of 2nd, considering his
previous record. As years rolled on, and Neil was in 6th grade, his
family had again to move, this time to Upper Sandusky. In the new School there,
Neil made two friends, Kotcho and Bud, who became very close to him. They made a good cohesive team. They joined
the Scout Movement. Neil’s father was
the Asst Scout Master, and could render good guidance.
As mentioned earlier, Neil had an
abiding interest in airplanes, and spent much time in assembling plane models
from readily available kits, and flying them. Also was buying magazines and
concerned booklets. But, all that needed money. He however managed to secure
part-time work of mowing grass in the Mission Cemetery nearby. He worked after
School hours, and during weekends. He was paid ten cents an hour. Besides, he
and his two friends planned a number of Scout activities, like hiking, making
maps, camping overnight, cooking, making camp-fires, tying knots etc., to earn Scout
badges and certificates. It provided an excellent experience of team work,
which came in handy later.
Neil needed earnings from part-time
work for his expenses for plane model kits and magazines. When there was no
more mowing work, he got part-time work in a Bakery which fetched him more, at
40 cents an hour.
In 1944, the Armstrong family moved
to Wapakoneta. Neil was by then in High School, in Blume High School. It had a good Science and Maths teacher
Grover Crites. Neil learnt much from him, besides Solar System and Astronomy
from other sources. He was an exceptional student. His teacher told Neil’s father
that Neil deserved going to College.
1945 was an eventful year. In May,
the World War in Europe ended, and peace returned. In USA there was a calamity.
President Roosevelt (the only President elected thrice) died suddenly, and
Harry Truman succeeded him. In August 1945, the War in Pacific ended (with the explosions
of nuclear bombs in Japan) and there was great rejoicing in USA. At that time,
Neil was finishing High School. Neil’s parents, Stephen and Viola, surely loved
the idea of Neil going to College. But they had to think of June and Dean as
well, as they grew up. They did not have that much savings to readily meet the
situation.
Meanwhile, while still in High
School, Neil spent as much time as he could at the local Koneta Airport.
Sometimes, he even earned some bucks by washing down a plane! He was interested
in learning to fly, for which he had to take flying lessons. He one day talked
to his father about it. When his father asked him how much each lesson would
cost, Neil replied ‘nine dollars an hour’. When asked how much he was earning in
his part-time work, he said ‘forty cents an hour’! Well, he had to save a lot,
and over a long time, to afford those flying lessons. Still, Neil was
determined to become a Pilot, as and when possible, and he steadfastly worked
towards it.
Neil was just fifteen when he first
began to take flying lessons. Whenever he saved enough money, he would go to
have a lesson. Finally, on his sixteenth birthday i.e., 05th August
1946, he received his Student’s Pilot
license, even before getting his car license. He would go to Airport on
bicycle, and pilot the plane! Neil’s mom was however concerned about the safety
aspect, especially when they heard of a trainer-plane crash, when the pilot
(whom Neil knew) died in the crash. Still, he persisted in taking his flying
lessons, till he secured the license. Neil did his maximum possible part-time
work to finance not only his flying lessons, but also save for any future
College expenses when necessary.
On learning, from some source, that
US Navy was offering College Scholarships, he casually sent in an application.
It was Neil’s ambition to study Aeronautical Engineering if possible. His
teacher Mr. Crites took special interest in Neil and gave him needed coaching.
Neil was fortunate in securing the College Scholarship from US Navy in 1947.
His joy knew no bounds. Neil at first thought of M.I.T for his College studies,
but his teacher suggested Purdue University with better reputation in
Aeronautical field. Also, it was in Lafayette, nearer to his home. Hence, after
High School, he enrolled in Purdue University, in the Aeronautical Engineering
Program. Being his subject of liking, Neil was doing pretty well. But it so
happened that, after a year and half, the US Navy called him for active duty.
Neil was just nineteen when he was
sent to Pensacola, Florida, for flight training. At twenty, he was assigned to
Fighter Squadron 51, and was sent in 1951 to the Korean War front. He was the
youngest Pilot in his Squadron. He flew Panther jets on 78 combat missions, off
the Aircraft Carrier ‘Essex’, during the Korean War. He undertook great risks
by flying low to hit targets. For his outstanding services, he received three
Air Medals.
After the Korean War ended in 1952,
he returned to Purdue University to continue his studies there, and earn his
Aeronautical Engineering degree. During his studies, he was President of the
Aero-Club, and Member of the American Rocket Society, as also Institute of
Aeronautical Sciences. Also, it was during his studies there, that he dated
Janet Sheron (pet name Jan) also studying there, whom he married much later in
1956.
After obtaining his degree, Neil
applied for a job in Edwards Air Base in California, but could not get. He
however secured a placement in Flight Propulsion Lab in Cleveland.
Subsequently, he succeeded in getting a job in Edward Air Base in California in
1955. In January 1956, he married Jan who joined him there. While serving at
Edwards Air Base, he flew over 200 models of aircrafts, including jets,
rockets, helicopters and gliders. He even flew the special X-15
rocket-propelled aircraft at 4,000 miles an hour, at an elevation of 207,000
feet!
With his background and experience,
Neil Armstrong was a natural to become an Astronaut. He was the first civilian
to become one. In 1962 he was accepted in NASA’s second Astronaut class, known
as ‘Nine’. After the needed training,
Armstrong was selected to be sent up as Command Pilot in Gemini-8 in 1966,
along with David Scott as Co-Pilot. This project had a special purpose, in
trying to make Gemini-8 dock with another already orbiting vehicle in space, an
unmanned satellite ‘Agena’. This was the
first attempt of docking of two vehicles in space. This had relevance and
significance in connection with the Moon-landing mission in future. This
Gemini-8 flight was expected to last for two days, with an hour’s spacewalk for
David. Armstrong piloted the spacecraft skillfully, and succeeded in docking
with Agena. This was the first successful docking of two spacecraft in space.
So far so good. But, after docking, unfortunately, they ran into problems of
rolling and spinning of their spacecraft. All efforts to straighten up and
steady the motion, were in vain. First, they had to undock from Agena which
they did. Still, Gemini-8 continued to spin at a dizzying rate. The only
alternative left was to press for the reentry to return back for the touchdown
in Pacific Ocean, after about six-and-half earth orbits, and 10.7 hours of
flight. It was far short of the mission plan that was conceived at start. In
spite of all that, Armstrong’s skill in bringing back to earth safely the
spacecraft Gemini-8, made a very great impression on NASA officials who were in
the initial stages of planning to select the best crew for the ensuing Moon-Landing
Mission of Apollo-11.
There was one more significant
achievement of Neil Armstrong that weighed in favor of his choice for the above
Mission, especially as the Command pilot. In 1968, Armstrong, while operating a
flight on LLRV i.e., ‘Lunar Landing Research Vehicle’, a jet-cum-rocket powered
craft, which on its descent, while it was about 200 feet above the ground,
unexpectedly began spinning and backfiring, and aimlessly tumbling down towards
earth. Armstrong, in that dangerous situation, had the presence of mind, and
alertness, to quickly eject out, and parachute down. The said vehicle hit the
ground, and immediately burst into flames. If only he did not eject out, he
would have got burnt. This mental alertness in that highly risky situation, won
appreciation of NASA executives in charge of Moon-Landing Mission.
On 9th January 1969, the
crew for Apollo-11, the first Moon-Landing Mission, was officially announced by
NASA. Neil Armstrong was to be the Command Pilot, and, Buzz Aldrin and Mike
Collins the Co-Astronauts. The three had earlier worked together, for over a
year, as the backup Pilots for the Apollo-8 Mission. In that process they became
conversant with Apollo-8 Command Module, its flight to Moon, and finally its reentry
to splash down on earth’s ocean. However, Apollo-11 was the first Moon-Landing
flight.
Never was there a more complete
preparation for a mission such as the Moon-Landing mission. Men and women, and
their computers, had worked for years on the mathematics of the equipment, the
course of the flight, and the risks…. The massive Saturn 5 rocket, the Apollo
11 spaceship, and the Moon-Landing module, were tested in every possible way,
both on ground and in space. The elaborate preparations continued right up
until the launch. There were many hours in which Neil, Buzz and Mike, trained
together as a unit. Each of them spent over four hundred hours working in simulators.
On the morning of 16th
July 1969, the huge 363-ft tall gleaming white Apollo 11 stood at Launch Pad
39A at Cape Kennedy. Waiting for the launch was a worldwide television
audience, including families of the Crew. There were an estimated one million
people at Cape Kennedy, anxiously waiting for this historic launch. Half of
members of US Congress, and over three thousand journalists from US and fifty-five
other countries were there. At 9-32 A.M., Apollo 11 blasted off with brilliant
orange flames, and the smoke at its base, rolling upward. The entire area was
shattered with an enormous wave of crackling sound…. At 12-22 P.M., midway in
its second trip around earth, the speed of Apollo 11 was 24,200 miles per hour!
This sent the spacecraft out of earth’s orbit, and on the way to the Moon.
During the flight to Moon, the
astronauts telecast pictures from the spacecraft. On evening of July 17th,
the telecast showed a view of earth from a distance of 128,000 nautical miles
(a nautical mile= 6076 ft). On afternoon of July 18th, came an
ultra-clear transmission with Columbia 175,000 miles from earth, and 48,000
miles from the Moon. At 12-58 P.M., of July 19th, mission control
announced Apollo-11could enter Moon’s orbit. On morning of July 20th,
Aldrin crawled into Lunar Module to power up Eagle. An hour later, Armstrong
joined him. At 1-46 P.M., the Moon-landing Eagle separated from Columbia, the
command module, which, piloted by Mike Collins, continued to orbit Moon. It
needed Armstrong’s skill and quick thinking, to bring Eagle to land safely on Moon.
At 4-18 P.M., the craft settled down with a slight bump, like a jet landing on
runway. Armstrong announced to Mission Control: ‘The Eagle has landed’.
Subsequently, the two astronauts put on their lunar space suits. At 10-39 P.M.,
Armstrong opened the hatch, and came out. A life support and communication
system, that weighed 84 pounds on Earth, but only 14 on Moon, was strapped to
his shoulders. He moved down the 10 ft nine step ladder. An estimated
one-fourth of Earth’s population, shared this historic moment through TV and
radio. At 10-56 P.M., Neil Armstrong made that historic step on surface of Moon
saying: “That is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”
The surface was fine and powdery. He
could see footprints of his boots on the fine sandy particles. He collected
soil samples close by. Later Aldrin joined him…After a while Armstrong focused
the TV camera on a plaque on the leg of landing craft, with inscription: “Here
men from planet Earth first set foot on Moon, July 1969 A.D. We came in peace
for all mankind.” This was signed by the
three Astronauts of Apollo-11, and Richard Nixon, the then President of
USA. Then, after a while, President
Nixon from White House, spoke to the two astronauts, and Armstrong suitably
replied. Thereafter, Aldrin and Armstrong set about completing the various
tasks assigned to them by Mission Control. They had walked on Moon for over two
hours. On completing all the chores needed, the two astronauts then reentered
the Lunar Module. At 1-11 A.M., the hatch was closed. About 12 hours later,
they left the Moon on July 21st at 1-54 P.M. The Lunar Module split into two, and the
upper half made the ascent to meet the Columbia, and dock with it. Then the
Lunar Module was released, and after midnight, the return flight of Apollo 11
began. The return to Earth took about sixty hours. The Command Module splashed
down in Pacific, 825 miles southwest of Honolulu at 12-51 P.M., Thursday July
24th. Columbia’s flight to
Moon and back to Earth, took a little over eight days, and covered 1,096,367
miles.
Astronauts Neil Armstrong,
Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins, and their wives spent months, following their
return to Earth, visiting various countries around the world. Their last stop
was Tokyo, Japan, where they received Medals of Honor from Prime Minister. Armstrong
received many other honors, including the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in
1978.
Armstrong worked in NASA Office
of Advanced Research until 1971, after which he resigned, and became Professor
of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinatti until 1979.
On the first anniversary of the Moon
Walk, Neil Armstrong said that he felt the message of Apollo Mission was that,
any goal can be reached, if first you identify what your goal is, and then work
together to reach it.
* * * * * * *
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