In week 13, cycle 2 of Classical Conversations, you learn about space missions. This is the perfect opportunity to take a field trip to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.
There you can explore the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space capsules, while learning about the men and women who flew them.
One of the most prolific of these was John Young. He was a dependable on high-stakes missions, leading him to fly in space six times as part of:
- Gemini 3
- Gemini 10
- Apollo 10
- Apollo 16
- Space Shuttle 1
- Space Shuttle 9
Just like your education, he focused on learning building blocks to grow his skills and rank as an astronaut. Let’s take a look at just a few of the things he did on these missions.
Gemini 3 (Pilot)– The first two-person space flight. Smuggled a corned beef sandwich aboard.
Gemini X (Commander)– 1st multiple complex docking procedures in space.
Apollo 10 (Command Module Pilot)– The dress rehearsal for the moon landing, leading to John Young being the first person to orbit the moon alone.
Apollo 16 (Commander)– 5th crewed lunar landing. John Young became one of twelve men to walk on the moon and 1 of 3 that visited twice.
STS 1 (Commander)– The first Space Shuttle mission with a reusable spacecraft.
STS 9 (Commander)– First Spacelab mission.
Without men like John Young, we never could have reached the moon or learned more about God’s glorious creation of space.
The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum is open daily from 10 am to 5:30 pm. Free timed passes are required for entry.
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