Grateful for NASA’s Space Program (TY-27)

I have always been fascinated with astronomy, the moon, the stars, the planets, our solar system, our galaxy and the entire universe. The vastness of our universe and everything in it is remarkable. I am deeply grateful that our wonderful nation has such a phenomenal space program with NASA. Of course, I may be a bit biased because my wonderful father spent his entire career working (playing) there as a master electrical engineer (some called him a rocket scientist). He was responsible for the communication instruments used on Viking 1 and 2, which were hugely vital and very important to the mission. His work is on Mars! How many people can boast about that!

 

Last night at 8:15 p.m. EST (0115 GMT Wednesday), the Orbital Sciences-built Minotaur 1 rocket launched into space from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia to begin the ORS-3 mission, which is run by the U.S. military’s Operationally Responsive Space Office. As you can see from the images, it was awesome. NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility had a live webcam running during the launching. This launching brings back beautiful memories for me. When I was about 8 years old, I had the opportunity to see a huge rocket (Viking 2) launch from Cape Kennedy, which was destined for Mars in search for life!

The rocket used to carry Viking 2 was MASSIVE and during the pre-launch events, it was referred to as THE BEAST! THE BEAST shook the ground a mile or more away as it took off. I know this for a fact because I was there to witness it from a distance of about one mile away. I will never, ever forget this event. Ah, yes! I do deeply appreciate NASA and its phenomenal space program. May we never lose our pioneering, creative and engineering spirits!

 

Related articles

• NASA Launches Mission to Study Upper Atmosphere of Mars. (linkybird.com)
• Minotaur rocket to lift off with satellite built by high school students (nbcnews.com)
• NASA Wallops Launch Tonight (witn.com)
• NASA’s Minotaur Rocket Launch May Light Up Sky Along East Coast Tonight (LIVESTREAM) (huffingtonpost.com)
• 29 satellites to launch tonight (cnn.com)
• BLOG: Rocket Launching Tuesday Night (philadelphia.cbslocal.com)
• Minotaur I Launch Updates and Viewing Options (parabolicarc.com)
• Record-Setting Rocket Launch on Nov. 19: The 29 Satellites (space.com)

A Tribute to Daddy

 I would like to use this space today to write a personal tribute to my father, Herbert Rüdiger Kowitz, for Father’s Day, the best Daddy in the whole universe.

 Daddy, thank you for your loving guidance, your generous spirit and all the quality time we had as a family. You kept us safe and secure. We have lived comfortably and enjoyed many, many wonderful times together. Who knows how many more we will have, but I have learned to cherish each moment with you and Mommy.

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 I love you deeply and dearly. Thank you for wisdom and being an amazing role model. Thank you for being dependable and responsible. Thank you for your many devoted hours volunteering in the band boosters and other community service organizations. Thank you for chaperoning many band trips and being a chauffeur for all the extracurricular activities Monique and I were involved in as kids. Thank you for designing and building all the stage sets when we were in community theater. 

Thank you for your quirky sense of humor, imagination and creativity. Thank you for picking up the pieces when things in my life seemed unbearable. Thank you for supporting all my decisions even when  you did not agree. Thank you for the countless moments you have spent on us instead of  you, being the doting father and devoted husband. You have done so much for us, Daddy, the list can go on and on! I am deeply grateful and feel completely blessed that God has given us such a fabulous father and daddy.

 You are a magnificent problem-solver and always figure out every challenge presented to you from simple fix-up jobs at home to more complicated rocket science stuff at work! I admire your ingenuity and engineering mind. You have done some amazing work at NASA, but MOST of ALL you have been an AWESOME father and daddy!!!! I LOVE YOU, DADDY! Happy Father’s Day!