Tapping into Shared Culture to Create Public Momentum for Interstellar Travel

From the Moon to the Stars

Kathleen Toerpe, PhDNortheast Wisconsin Technical College

Where were you when?

Shared experiences

create cultural narratives

Where were you. . .

when man first walked on the moon?

July 20, 1969

Who saw it?

•125 MM Americans

•500-600 MM worldwide

Apollo 11 Cultural Narrative

• Familiar Photos

• Iconic proclamation

“One small step . . .”

Worldwide Human Narrative

• 73 countries sent “greetings” to moon

• 23 countries welcomed crew on August 1969 Giant Leap tour

• Russia, China, Japan, India and ESA have lunar probes

• Inspired further space exploration and manned space stations

• Reached far, deep and wide into the popular culture

• Literature

• Film

• Television

• Consumer goods

The truly unique historical event uniting all humanity in one vicarious and extraordinary legacy. . .

Our journey to the stars is the sequel to this legacy

Narratives need to be nourished

• Only 50% of Americans surveyed in 1999 could identify Neil Armstrong as the first man to walk on the moon

• Only 39% of Americans surveyed in August 1969 were willing to finance a mission to Mars

to commit to a new act of faith & vision

Where do we start?• Tie star travel to basic human longing to

explore

• Revisit sources of inspiration for moon landing

• Co-brand the moon landing with star travel

• Engage people of all ages where they live

Tie Star Travel to Basic Human Longing to Explore

To understand, perhaps to answer, the BIG questions•Why are we here?

•Where did the universe come from?

•Are we alone?

To conquer the unknown

unanswered unfinished

• 100 years of science fiction

• Mentor children in literature, history, film, visual arts

• Starship needs a name

to see ourselves among the stars

Revisit Sources of Inspiration for Moon Landing

Co-brand moon landing with star travel

Dovetail 100 YSS announcements to Apollo 11 anniversary dates

On to the stars!

• Partnering opportunities

• Low investment

• Large returns

Anniversary Announcements

Exploration Anniversary

• 1st man in space

• 1st American in space

• 1st woman in space

• 1st space walk

• 1st men on moon

100 YSS Breakthrough

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Engage People of All Ages Where They Live

• Star City, Earth

Create local partnerships

Encourage citizen scientists

Establish conduit for public outreach and feedback

Star City, Earth

Engage People of All Ages Where They Live

• Adult STEMProvide educational

outreach

Inform voters

Encourage future scientists

• Baby Boomer Legacy

Space Age generation

Launch humanity to the stars

100 YSS Culture Strategy

• Deepest questions• Sources of inspiration• Apollo 11 narrative• Grassroots energy• Final legacy

Where were YOU?

From the Earth to the Moon . . . From the Moon to the Stars. . .

Let us begin!

Kathleen D. ToerpePhD - Loyola University Chicago (1994) - US History

- 20th Century Cultural History (major field)

MA - Loyola University Chicago (1990) - Public History - Community Education and Outreach

BA - Marquette University (1984) - History and Philosophy

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College – facultyContact:kathleen.toerpe@nwtc.eduktoerpe@gmail.com

NOTES/PHOTO CREDITSSlide 2Rescuing Pearl Harbor survivor near USS West Virginia http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g10000/g19930.jpgPresident and Mrs. Kennedy, Dallas 11-22-1963 http://crimemagazine.com/images/539w.jpgMillennium celebrations at Epcot Center http://www.mcjackie.com/graphics/hand.jpgTwin Tower attack 09-11-2001http://www.novinite.com/media/images/2009-03/photo_verybig_102003.jpg Slide 4Children watching Apollo 11 liftoffhttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YCEdadaoOas/TYY2pdsXbFI/AAAAAAAAKmA/gH1ayKQkVqs/s1600/Patty_and_Marc_Schultz_watch_the_moon_landing_on_TV_in_1969_t500x500.jpg

Slide 5A Remote That Broke All Records, Broadcasting Magazine – Broadcasting & Cable , 7/17/2009, reprint of July 28, 1969 issue at http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/315617-A_Remote_That_Broke_All_the_Records.phpNeil Armstrong debarking from Eagle Lunar Modulehttp://grin.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/SMALL/GPN-2000-001209.jpg

Slide 6Apollo 11 launchhttp://grin.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/SMALL/GPN-2000-000629.jpgApollo 11 crew portraithttp://grin.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/SMALL/GPN-2000-001164.jpgBuzz Aldrin “waving” American flag on lunar surfacehttp://grin.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/SMALL/GPN-2001-000012.jpg Slide 7Boot print on lunar surfacehttp://grin.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/SMALL/GPN-2001-000014.jpgNeil Armstrong’s first words on moonhttp://www.nasa.gov/62284main_onesmall2.wav

Slide 8Apollo 11 Goodwill Messages, July 13, 1969, NASA Release 69-83 F http://history.nasa.gov/ap11-35ann/goodwill/Apollo_11_material.pdfApollo-11 Astronauts Goodwill Round-the-World Flight Tourhttp://www.wingnet.org/rtw/RTW005JJ.HTMApollo 11 crew tickertape parade in Mexico Cityhttp://grin.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/SMALL/GPN-2002-000016.jpg Slide 9GI Joe Space Capsule toyhttp://www.toycollector.com/hwdphotos/originals/107/1561/GIJoeSpaceCapsule.jpgMoon landing lunch boxhttp://www.greatestcollectibles.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/1970-The-Astronauts1.jpgAstronaut costumehttp://0.tqn.com/d/space/1/0/B/A/1/Little_Astronaut_Spacesuit.jpgMan on the Moon bookhttp://blog.richmond.edu/openwidelookinside/files/2008/07/manonmoon.jpgSnoopy on moon cartoonhttp://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/Charles_Schultz_Museum_Snoopy_on_Moon(1).jpgMoon landing stamphttp://www.flagsbay.com/flag/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/first-man-on-the-moon-10c-stamp-1969.jpgMan on moon mughttp://images.bidorbuy.co.za/user_images/601/1883601_110201161313_Unique_Man_On_the_Moon_Mug_(1).JPG

Slide 11100 Year Starship 2011 Symposium cover (cropped)http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mir4-tCqckc/TpNl9I5CxqI/AAAAAAAAMuA/c9jKgjg5oZw/s1600/100yss.png Slide 12Newport, Frank. Landing a Man on the Moon: The Public's View, Gallup News Service, July 20, 1999 at http://www.gallup.com/poll/3712/landing-man-moon-publics-view.aspx

Slide 14Kennedy, John F. Address at Rice University, September 12, 1962, video transcripthttp://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/MkATdOcdU06X5uNHbmqm1Q.aspx Slide 15From the Earth to the Moon Direct in Ninety-seven Hours and Twenty Minutes, and a Trip around it. Trans. by Louis Mercier and Eleanor King , Scribner, Armstrong: New York , 1874 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_the_Earth_to_the_MoonDr. Who’s TARDIShttp://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/images/173/tardis_wood.jpg Slide 16HMS Titanic leaving Southampton port, April 1912http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/RMS_Titanic_3.jpg/300px-RMS_Titanic_3.jpgTitanic’s current resting groundhttp://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00673/titanic-404_673723c.jpgUSS Enterprisehttp://www.startrek.com/legacy_media/images/200510/ds9-503-1701-saucer-cu/320x240.jpg

Slide 22Earth, Moon, Starshttp://www.univena.com/images/EarthMoonStars.jpgApollo 11 Technical Air-to-Ground Voice Transcription, NASA Data Logistics Office, July 1969, Tape 114/2, p. 588http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/mission_trans/AS11_TEC.PDF