News

July 16, 2019

The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11

Posted on: July 16, 2019 by Kelly Jones

Well, I have to say that this kind of snuck up on me. As far back as 2014 I was planning on doing a complete refresh of the website to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, but it seemed so far away. The site refresh will still happen, just not soon enough.


I wish I could tell you my memories of Apollo 11 from 1969, but it happened 6 years before I was born. I do, however, remember the day when my dad told me about the time people walked on the Moon for the first time.

It was probably around 1980 or so. My family was returning home from an outing late one night, and my dad pulled the car over on the side of the road so that we could look at the full Moon. That was when he told me about Neil, Buzz, and Mike. Even at such a young age I could begin to grasp just how big an adventure going to the Moon was, and I have been a die hard space nerd ever since.

To Neil, Buzz, Mike, and everyone involved with NASA… thank you. You have inspired a lot of people, and changed the world.

August 25, 2012

Neil Armstrong (1930 – 2012)

Posted on: August 25, 2012 by Kelly Jones

From NASA:


Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon during the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, has died. He was 82.

His family has released the following statement:

“We are heartbroken to share the news that Neil Armstrong has passed away following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.

Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.

Neil Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job. He served his Nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. He also found success back home in his native Ohio in business and academia, and became a community leader in Cincinnati.

He remained an advocate of aviation and exploration throughout his life and never lost his boyhood wonder of these pursuits.

As much as Neil cherished his privacy, he always appreciated the expressions of good will from people around the world and from all walks of life.

While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.

For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.”

The family will be providing further updates at www.neilarmstronginfo.com.

Apollo 11 command module pilot Michael Collins said simply, “He was the best, and I will miss him terribly.”

Continue reading…

April 12, 2011

Yuri Gagarin / STS-1 Anniversaries

Posted on: April 12, 2011 by Kelly Jones

As you know, April 12, 2011 is the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human in space.

First Orbit is a film that recreates in real-time Gagarin’s first orbit using footage from the International Space Station. It’s a great video, check it out.

Today is also the 30th anniversary of STS-1, the first flight of a Space Shuttle. Astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen flew Space Shuttle “Columbia” for two days before landing at Edward’s Air Force Base in California.

February 11, 2011

TheSpaceRace.com celebrates it’s 10th anniversary!

Posted on: February 11, 2011 by Kelly Jones

It’s hard to believe, but TheSpaceRace.com has been online for 10 years!

I started the website on March 31, 2001 (okay, so it’s still a month and a half short of 10 years… but I think we’ll make it) as a way to hone my web design skills. I decided to make a website based on one of my main interests, the space program. I almost made it about the movies I like, and I’m glad I didn’t because I’ve met a lot of interesting people through TheSpaceRace.com.

The original site is actually still online. You can see it for yourself here. Over the years the look of the site has changed a few times, and I’ve learned a lot about web design. And now, to coincide with the 10th anniversary I have introduced another major redesign. I hope you like it!

The biggest change this time is that the site is now powered by WordPress. This is a big deal because it will make it a lot easier for me to create or edit content. I can even allow other people to contribute!

I will probably still be tweaking the design for a while, and I still have to make the layout of the forum consistent with the main site, but the major work is done. If you have any comments (good or bad) about the new site please feel free to let me know.