Fly me to the Moon:
In 1954 Decca Records release a song composed by Bart Howard and sung by Kaye Ballard titled: “In Other Words”. Later, in 1963, the singer Peggy Lee convinced Howard, to re-name the song. It’s new title: “Fly me to the Moon”.
And in 1964 Frank Sinatra release an album containing that song.
The lyrics begin with:
Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars. Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars …
Of course, 1969 saw the launch of the Apollo 11 when a Saturn V rocket carried the Astronauts Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong
a-top the rocket in The Command Module. At the very top-top of that module was The Lunar Landing Craft named: “Eagle”.
Eagle would take Aldrin & Armstrong to the moon’s surface.
Neil Armstrong would become The First Man to step onto the the moon.
Frank Sinatra’s 1964 recording of “Fly Me to the Moon” was to become closely associated with NASA’s Apollo space program. A copy of the song was played on a portable cassette player on the Apollo 10 mission (which orbited the Moon), and also on Apollo 11 before the first landing on the Moon in 1969.
A platinum copy of Frank Sinatra’s album was presented to Senator John Glenn and Neil Armstrong (the moon mission’s commander) in 2009.
The song was also played at Neil Armstrong’s memorial service in 2012.
Rocket to the moon in 1969:
This was a momentous occasion … witnessed ‘live’ on grainy black ’n white TV screens around the world. Come with me on my personal moon-trip, along with singer David Bowie.
My friend helped Neil Armstrong to land on the moon
It’s true … my friend played a vital part in getting Neil Armstrong to the moon in 1969. Read all about it here.
Rocket to the moon in 2022:
As I finish this story today, another episode in man’s moon-endeavors is about to get underway.
It is August 28th 2022 (US EDT) as I write this … and I’m sending this article to the publisher right now … but tomorrow morning at 8.33am EDT the Artemis I mission to the Moon is set to lift-off if the weather holds.
Nasa has begun tanking operations for the mission. Teams are proceeding toward a two-hour launch window opening at 8.33am EDT 29 August from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Stop-Press!
My article was published … on the very day of the proposed launch … but I now find that I need to add this edit:
We wait … and when it does eventually happen, the world news programs will inevitably let you know.
. . .
When it does get the go-ahead it will be an un-crewed test flight … the first step before sending humans back to the Moon, with Artemis II in 2023 (to circle around the moon) and a further launch (planned for 2024) is set to land humans on the moon once again … if things go to plan.
As I am writing this before Artemis I launches have even begun, I am ‘in the dark’ as far as future successes (or failures) are to be experienced.
You’ll find out at the same time as I will !… Fingers crossed.
I wonder … will the first Artemis crew (in next year’s flight) be listening to “Fly Me to the Moon”?
Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars
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“Fly Me To The Moon … Again!” * written by
* * * * * © Fred Ogden 2022 * * * * *
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This post was previously published on ILLUMINATION.
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You may also like these posts on The Good Men Project:
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